(Image by Sophia Ragomo)
Kansas City band, The Greeting Committee, has come a long way since it first formed for a school talent show in 2014. The band is formed by vocalist Addie Sartino, guitarist Brandon Yangmi, bassist Pierce Turcotte, and drummer Austin Fraser. Despite being a fairly young band, The Greeting Committee can already boast about having performed in important music festivals such as SXSW and Lollapalooza. The band has once again been announced in SXSW's lineup in 2018 which is ,without a doubt, a testament to their amazing talent and hard work.We recently had the opportunity to talk to the front-woman of the band, Addie Sartino. Check it out.
1. If you could write the entrance song for any wrestler, who would it be? Mankind. 2. In what ways has Ray Romano impacted your life? Only in my dreams. 3. Can you guys do a cover of “Dancing Queen” and post it on youtube? We already have. It’s under a private account. Invite only. 4. What music have you guys been really into lately? I am still listening to Lorde’s “Melodrama” on repeat endlessly. I love her. 5. On a scale from 1-10 how thicc was Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web? Crispy. 6. If any of you are rich or plan on becoming rich, can I be your trophy husband? I really need to pay off my student debt. We were counting on you for that... 7. This one time I thought my friend Andrew died, but it turns out he was just on a cruise in the caribbean. How often do you guys keep up with each other/hangout when you’re not on tour? You know, to make sure nobody is dead or on vacation. Brandon and Austin hang out nearly every day. Pierce and I hang out maybe once a week or so. Peyton and I are BFFs. We all see each other about five times a week for practice. One time, I thought Brandon and Austin were dead when they went on a float trip because they didn’t text back for a week, though. I’m pretty sure I cried. 8. I recently took the Myers-Briggs personality test. It turns out that I have the same personality type as John Mayer, Vincent van Gogh, and Kurt Cobain . . . am I going to be okay? Am I going to be okay? 9. Who would win in a fight? John Mayer, Vincent van Gogh, or Kurt Cobain? Van Gogh cut his own ear off. I wouldn’t fuck with a guy who cut his own ear off. 10. What do you think the green Nickelodeon slime tastes like? Sweet, sweet victory. Isaac Gutierrez for Born Loser.: For those not familiar with The Greeting Committee, can you introduce yourselves?
(Photo by Sophia Ragomo)
Addie of The Greeting Committee: We formed The Greeting Committee in 2014 and shortly after played our school talent show. After that, it seemed like we had a good thing going so we decided to record our first EP, "It's Not All That Bad." A friend from high school, Peyton Marek, and her father, Mark Marek, recorded us in their basement. From there, Peyton became our manager. And as all good managers do, she shared our music with everyone. That's how Lazlo Geiger, Program Director for Kansas City's Alternative Station 96.5 The Buzz, got a hold of it and played it on air. "Hands Down" got a wildly positive response, so Lazlo became interested in us and then became co-manager with Peyton. Because of the buzz "Hands Down" was creating in Kansas City, record labels started messaging us on Facebook, emailing us, and calling Lazlo. It was all very exciting. Isaac: You guys are a pretty young band;you released your first EP only a couple of years ago. In the short time that you guys have been together, you’ve already played festivals like SXSW and your single “Hands Down” has over 7 million listens on Spotify. To what would you contribute the amount of success that you’ve had in such short time? Addie: Our amazing team we have been lucky enough to assemble and our even more amazing listeners. The whole thing is crazy. Isaac: I recently had the opportunity to see you in Dallas at Skate or Die Fest, and you guys were hands down (see what I did there?) my favorite performance. Addie even went offstage to start a mosh pit and it was crazy. Do you guys have any rules or standards for yourselves in how you approach a live performance? How important is it to have fun onstage?
Addie: I’d say we all expect each other to give it %110 on stage. Does that always happen? No. Does that expectation help make it happen more often than not? Absolutely. It’s very important to us that everyone in the room is having fun, dancing and singing along, and simply being a part of this moment we are all creating together. Energy is a huge part of what makes a Greeting Committee set a Greeting Committee set. Isaac: How would you say that your sound has grown/evolved since you first started? Addie: It’s strange to listen through our two EPs because you can hear us searching for “our” sound. I don’t know if that’s something we will ever find and stick to though, and I’m not sure I’d want to. We all love a large range and variety of music, and that shows. We have tracks that are heavier, such as “She’s A Gun,” and then we have tracks with a more blues inspired feel, such as “Dancing To Nothing At All.” Most of this stems from how we feel at the moment we are writing, so it will most likely be a constant change just like life itself. Isaac: What band has influenced you the least? And could you beat them up in a fight?
Addie: Creed… No. Didn’t he cut off his ear? I told you we don’t fuck with guys who cut their ears off. Isaac: Talk to us about your most recent EP “Meeting People Is Easy.”
Addie: “Meeting People Is Easy” was recorded in Capitol Studios, which is very different from a suburban home basement. The vibe of the studio was very special because extremely influential and important artists have and do work there (Sinatra, John Mayer, Ryan Adams, and way more.) It’s actually pretty funny. One day, I was doing my vocal takes and I was getting incredibly frustrated because I wasn’t producing the sound I wanted. Now, similar to swimming (except much worse), you have to wait a while after you eat in order to sing well, so I opted out on eating early that morning. I was getting hangry. I wanted to finish this damn vocal take. The team could sense my rage, so they sent me out to “take a lap.” There I am, fast-walking with my head down, when I bump into someone. I look up and there’s Niall Horan. Yeah, boy band dreamboat Niall Horan. I look at him and I go, “What?” He smiled. He was sweet. I told him I liked his voice. He’s hitting #1 on the charts now and I’m waiting for him to write a song about blocking my lap route.
Isaac: Do you have a favorite city or venue to play at?
Addie: We love playing in Columbus, OH. The energy is different in that city. It’s electric. I’d say we all really enjoy Portland too. It could always change though. Some nights are just special on their own. Isaac: So I know that every crowds and venue is different, and sometimes things go well and sometimes they don’t.What has been the worst show, and what has been the best? Addie: We played horribly in Kansas City when we were opening for a line-up that included Death Cab For Cutie- my favorite band. That was a real let down. I think we probably all have different answers for what the best show would be.
Isaac: Is there anything you guys like to do before every show? Addie: We do something the boys took from marching band called “shakies.” Austin and I always do a pre-show poop and then tell each other the poop’s rating. I can’t believe I’m sharing this. Isaac: Do you have any funny stories from being on tour? Addie: No. We don’t laugh. Isaac: When you are on tour, and you’re driving to the next city, who farts the most? Is farting an issue? Addie: Farting can be an issue, but it’s always silent and unclaimed. I have my suspicions on who the serial farter is, though… Updates to come. Isaac: Describe your dream tour. Who would you tour with and where would you go? Addie: I would love to play a show in Tokyo with The Killers.
Isaac: What is something most people wouldn’t know about The Greeting Committee? Addie: We fight sometimes. I feel like most people assume we are always hugging each other. Isaac: Can I officially become an honorary band member and get credit on your next album? Addie: You can maybe be the waterboy. Tryouts are next month. Isaac: What do you want to accomplish through your music, and what does “success” look like to you guys?
Addie: To me, success looks like selling out theatres every night while writing music that feels genuine. Isaac: What are you guys working on now, and what can we expect to see from The Greeting Committee in the near future? Addie: We are writing our FIRST. ALBUM. Wow. It should be out sometime in 2018. Don’t quote me on that. Isaac: And to wrap things up, do you have any questions for me?
Addie: As a trophy husband, what would you bring to the table? Where’s my water?
Isaac: I have absolutely nothing to offer except a horrible, horrible sense of humor. Your water is coming right up!
Isaac: You guys are great, and I will for sure be keeping up with you. You’re quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.Thank you for your time! Addie: Thank YOU!
Listen to some sweet, sweet tunes here
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