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BOOTS FACTOR is the pet project of Acoustic rock artist Brian Factor, Drummer for STEPHEN KELLOGG & THE SIXERS. He’s finding his creative side when the band is off the road. To fill in one of those long periods, Brian (or Boots...) decided to compile a collection of songs for a second ep, to be released exclusively on iTunes.

Recently I requested a short interview with Brian. Before I talk a bit about his music, here’s what Brian shared with me:

RA: How many albums have you released?
BF: Two EPs; January Bridges (2006) and Dead Language Demos (April, 2007).

RA: Any Links?
BF: http://www.myspace.com/bootsfactor

RA: Who are your main musical influences?
BF: Ryan Adams, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam and many more I can't think of right now...

RA: Were you trying to emulate the sounds or styles of your musical idols?
BF: From a sonic point of view, yes. Many of my influences have created amazing sounding albums, which is part of why they are my "idols". I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile, but I am very cognizant of the sounds of each instrument, texture, E.Q., etc. However, on my EPs, I've always tried to stay true to myself, and not really think about where my sound is coming from, more than what I'm trying to say, and what the song is about. I love when people will write me and say "You sound like Arlo Guthrie" or something... I've never listened to Alice's Restaurant or anything by Arlo Guthrie, so I think it's fantastic to have that mentioned!

RA: When did you get your start?
BF: Well, my full time job right now is actually being the drummer for a national touring act, STEPHEN KELLOGG & THE SIXERS. We were on Universal for our first album, but decided to go with an indie record label for our second. The label is called EverFine Records and is run by the band OAR and their management. Hopefully, it will be a good fit... Part of being a touring musician, is that when you are off the road, it's usually for large blocks of time; one month, two months in a row. So, I would write music in my off time, record demos, put them on MySpace... I think also having a curiosity about how it would feel to throw your own music into the wild was very tempting for me and I'm glad I did it... I feel very lucky to have a fan base that is interested in my music. The Sixers have very dedicated fans and they always have an ear on what all the band members are doing.

RA: What are you thoughts on the revolution of the Internet bringing undiscovered music to the greater masses?
BF: I think for the most part it is a good thing. Maybe the quality of the music has become watered down, because these days, anyone can own a pro-tools rig in their basement and release albums on iTunes (ecchem)... But as a whole, and from an artist's point of view, it is simply great. From the internet, a much larger and captive audience is possible, sometimes without leaving your home. Of course, there is nothing more effective than touring, but selling and getting your music out there to people who would like it, but aren't necessarily seeking it out, is something great, which this industry has never seen before and is still trying to get its bearings on. Seven or eight years ago, with the craziness of Napster, there was a huge stigma on getting music over the Internet; you were stealing it, the quality wasn't very good. That was all true. I remember being in college and trying to download two songs over night through a phone line, waking up the next day and having only half of a song on my computer (still hilarious to think about...). Since then, there have been so many leaps and bounds, and some hefty regulation on getting the artist his or her cut, that it has basically become the mainline for buying music...

RA: Have you done any collaborations?
BF: Stephen and I have collaborated on many occasions and I hope to do more writing with him. On my first EP, we wrote “Inasmuch” together, and out of everything I've written, that song stands out as actually "finished". Yeah, I kind of have a tendency to start something and by the end of the day, concede and tell myself "Yeah, this is good..." Not really sure if that's the best way to go!

RA: Can fans expect a new release any time soon?
BF: Well, I just released my second EP on iTunes, “Dead Language Demos”, a couple of weeks ago. These EPs are only available on iTunes, so I've been tempted to print some discs up to sell at shows, etc. As far as new material goes, I'm in my off period, so I'm writing as we speak. I hope to release something very soon, to all my adoring fans (all seven of them!).

Seven fans indeed! You will see on his MySpace page that Brian has more than a paltry seven! It’s on this page where you can hear five of Brian’s tracks. The first is an Acoustic version of “Starting To Blur”. From the onset, you can hear the vocal influences of Dylan and Pearl Jam. Voice and Guitar compliment each other, bringing a mellow side to something that could be a power ballad with the right arrangement.

“Well It’s All Right” recalls the 1990s stylings of Deep Blue Something and Vertical Horizon, joining lyrics of moving on with catchy Acoustic flavored Pop.

Reminiscent of Eric Clapton and Joni Mitchel, “Can’t Shake You Molly” opens with gorgeous Acoustic Guitar, weaving between soft Electric Guitar and Percussion. The vocals feel familiar, remaining as relaxed and nonchalant as the music.

Contrary to the Acoustic version, “Starting To Blur” in full format has something more to offer. There’s a distinct pulse to the song. Cross-currents of texture missing in the former bring added depth and dimension the second time you hear it. The vocals are also less restrained, putting the listener in touch with a variant emotional level. You no longer hear Bob Dylan. You hear Brian.

The last track, “Inasmuch” relies on Rhythm Guitar to carry the bulk of the music while the words are sung like someone reading a nursery rhyme. The song is constructed around a pleasing melody minus the trappings of formula. Whatever contribution Stephen lent to Brian in penning this track has really paid off. Easily, it’s one of the best.

Be sure to catch STEPHEN KELLOGG & THE SIXERS when they come to your town. In the mean time, check out Brian’s EPs on iTunes. Brian Factor and his BOOTS FACTOR is an artist I think you should know about!

- Rob Astor, May 2007

In January of 2006 The Sixers had the entire month of January off. With nothing but idle time and the fear of nothing to do, I decided to book some time in a studio just outside NYC. All I knew of the studio was that it was located in a basement of some guy's house (who I had heard was the bass player for a well known Pink Floyd cover band) somewhere in Jersey... With some sketches of songs ready, I hunkered down and started recording. Considering I planned on playing most of the guitars, vocals and drums, I had to figure out a way to get the basics down. A blueprint for what I needed to do soon developed; acoustic guitars first, followed by drums and then everything else. I had one idea for a song tentatively titled "It's over now". It had lyrical spaces and a chorus that needed help. I called my dear friend Stephen Richard Kellogg and drove to his house after one day of recording. He fed me a late dinner and we then worked until three in the morning, eventually finishing what was re-titled Inasmuch. Six hours later I recorded it and that is what you hear... I needed keyboards. I can't play piano for the life of me, so as a late Christmas gift, Kit lent me his keyboarding skills. Those hot licks were the best Christmas gift Ive gotten since Sega Genesis in 1993. The January Bridges four song EP should be up on iTunes by this spring. Listen to these songs and if you like them, buy the whole damn thing. I need the money. Thanks for stopping by....:) boots