Jim DeRogatis talks to former Smashing Pumpkin James Iha about Tinted Windows, his new band that features members of Hanson, Cheap Trick, and Fountains of Wayne:
Well, Adam [Schlesinger] and I are friends, and we have these various businesses together: We have our recording studio in Chelsea, and we had the label together [Scratchie], but we lost the backing from New Line because everyone got fired there. I was talking to him one day and he was friends with Taylor Hanson; they’ve been friends since Fountains of Wayne’s and Hanson’s first records came out and the guy who signed Tinted Windows told Adam in the ’90s, “You should write with these kids from Oklahoma.”
We came up with this idea of Adam and Taylor singing over loud guitars and doing a power-pop record, trying to keep it down and dirty: no keyboards, no three-part harmonies, with references like the Buzzcocks, the Knack and the Ramones–just all things fun and loud. So the three of us all wrote songs that fit that concept; then we figured, “Well, we have to get a drummer.” We had a couple of ideas, one of the references I said was, “He has to play like Bun E. Carlos!” Then we went, “Hey, let’s call Bun E. Carlos! All he can do is say no.” We sent him the demos and he went, “I’m into it!” He came to New York and rocked like no one’s business and we did the record in two days.
MP3: Tinted Windows – “Kind of a Girl” (courtesy of Rolling Stone)
This looks really promising. AND they’re playing Double Door here in Chgo. soon…. hmmmm, decisions, decisions.
I’m digging this, seriously. I’m a sucker for well-done power pop and these guys are like the Frankenstein monster of power pop. Good stuff!
I’m a fan of Fountains of Wayne’s self-titled, Utopia Parkway and Welcome Interstate Managers. The band hasn’t gotten a lot of love on GloNo. But I don’t see a big difference between “Kind Of A Girl” by Tinted Windows and “Denise” from Utopita Parkway.”Denise” does have the creamy line “I know this girl named Denise. She makes me weak at the knees. She works at Liberty travel. She;s got a heart full of (awkward pause) GRAVEL. What makes Tinted Windows worthy of great praise when their songs seem similiar to a dozen Foutains’ songs, only without the clever or cutesy lyrics. Is that it? Are some of you put off by Fountains’ lyrics and find them nerdy.
I’m not being snarkey here here.I’m just curious. Are Tinted Windows considered more “stripped down”? I don’t think Tinted can touch songs like “Leave The Biker”, “Big Hippie”, and “Hung Up On You” just to name a few.
Dear Sven,
I love FoW and was just relistening to Utopia Parkway last week and thinking how fucking well done it is. Who are these people who don’t like FoW? Is there a “I hate Wayne” thread out there?
Regards.
jonas
Jonas–never said anyone here “hated FOW”. Every time I ever mentioned them on the message board there was no response. Thus the lack of love–not hate.
Ah, I see. Glono boarders are indeed sometimes feckless when it comes to showing the love.
I’ve been pretty open in my love here for FoW, particularly the practically perfect Utopia Parkway and Welcome Interstate Managers (which, who stole my Welcome Interstate Managers CD?)
I do think their last record was nerdy and hack-like though–that’s kind of the line they walk.
“Power pop”–oh why oh why does the music closest to my heart have such a stupid name?