Headstash

Getting To Know: TWIDDLE

Photo Courtesy of Twiddle

They’re the other Vermont-based jam quartet and they’re spreading like wildfire across the country with their self-described “three-dimensional” music.

They improvise with the best of them, creating intricate soundscapes with peaks and valleys that keep your ears engaged and your feet moving. Their music has a classic feel and feels like it’s plucked from a different generation.

In his own words, Twiddle’s drummer Brook Jordan takes your through the band’s unique sound, getting held up at knifepoint on the road and staying best friends inside a van filled to the brim with gear.

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YOUR SOUND

Describe what Twiddle is all about in one sentence.

Music makes us happy – we're just trying to return the favor.

Your sound has this classic feel to it and definitely sounds plucked straight from an older generation of music. Describe your sound and what makes Twiddle unique.

Each member of the band draws from a different musical palate. By constantly intertwining genres, we're able to create many of our own unique sounds.

Like an onion, Twiddle has multiple layers of soundscapes, emotions and lyrical journeys.

What do you mean when you say Twiddle plays “three-dimensional music?”

Twiddle is complex. Each song is unique, yet thoughtfully complements our repertoire. The music starts inside you, reaches everywhere and then manifests in manifold forms of expression.

Who are your influences? Being from Vermont, Phish always comes to mind when it comes to improvisational musicians.

Our musical influences are vast and infinite, but Bela Fleck, Ernest, Les Claypool, Phish and a multitude of reggae artists come to mind.

I know you’re working on an album. Talk about how that’s going.

Photo Courtesy of Twiddle

Our new studio album, "Somewhere On The Mountain," is finally finished – we’re now just tying up the odds and ends before final production.

[FIND news, tour dates and downloads on Twiddle's official website.]

To be honest, the whole process is taking a lot longer than we expected. We've been working on it for months now, and we're hoping our hard work pays off and the fans truly enjoy it.

ON THE ROAD

What has been your most memorable gig so far?

We've played hundreds of shows. We do it because we love the music, and even more, love seeing the joy it gives people. For this reason, it’s tough to nail down any one show as our fondest.

This year's Friendly Gathering Festival, though, organized by Jack Mitrani, a pro snowboarder, stands out as a phenomenal weekend in recent memory. Not only did we headline Friday and Saturday night, but we played an epic mountaintop acoustic set as the sun set Saturday evening.

What’s your proudest moment as a band so far?

Photo Courtesy of Twiddle

We are most proud of our growing fan base. It’s their love and support that will hopefully allow us to do this for a long time.

What’s your craziest road story so far?

One of us got held up at knifepoint and robbed in Greenwich Village.

What’s a typical day of a gig like for the band?

A typical gig day for us starts early and ends early, the next day. When you gig like we do, your perception of time gets completely distorted into something indiscernible.

[FOLLOW Twiddle on Facebook.]

Getting home from a gig at 7:00 a.m. only to be so tired that you can't fall asleep until 4:00 in the afternoon. It starts to throw you off.

How well do you guys get along?

We are best friends. Even still, everyone has their moments when spending hours on end in a van that’s packed to the brim with gear.

You’re in the middle of the tour, how’s it going?

Photo Courtesy of Twiddle

Tour has been great. We are playing new cities all the time. Notably, we will be heading down South in late winter, and out West in early spring.

[DISCUSS Twiddle and other up-and-coming acts on the message boards.]

We have never believed more fully in Twiddle. It’s a matter of patience, hard work and delivering our live music to as many people as possible.

THE FUTURE

With electronic influences gaining momentum in every genre, are you afraid organic music could fall by the wayside?

Organic music will never “fall by the wayside.” Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead are just two examples of timelessness – they will never be obsolete. We’re doing our best to keep organic music alive and kicking.

Do you ever see yourselves going in a more electronic direction?

We respect electronic music and it plays a part in our influence, but we plan to keep our music mainly organic.

If you could see any band in the world right now, who would it be and why?

Photo Courtesy of Twiddle

If we could see any artist in the world right now, past or present, we would see: Ernest Ranglin, Pink Floyd, Daft Punk, The Gorillaz, Bob Marley, Jeff Beck and Michael Jackson.

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These are the artists that have had a direct impact on the music we create. They are masters of their craft.

Where do you see yourselves in the future?

We just want to get out there and play our music to more and more people. Playing bigger venues and becoming emerged into the festival scene are obvious and immediate goals.

 

 

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Twiddle is playing the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, New York Friday, November 4. For a complete list of tour dates, check out the band's official website.