The Bluebeats
Interview with Mike Drance of the Bluebeats
1997 - Tim
Who are the people in your band and what do they do?
Mike: Steve Prisco plays rhythm guitar and sings, Mike Bifulco plays lead guitar does a little background vocals, Russ Sisto, our bass player does background vocals, and Allison Whitlesey plays keyboards and vocal, and Bill Grillo on drums, and me on vocals.
You were in the Scofflaws, right?
Mike: Yes.
What did you play when you were in the Scofflaws?
Mike: Baritone Sax.
Why did you leave?
Mike: Political Reasons, personal reasons, schedule conflicts, ideology conflicts, a lot of different reasons.
The sound of the Bluebeats is completely different from the sound of the Scofflaws, were you looking to get away from that sound?
Mike: What I was hoping to accomplish with the Scofflaws was successful to the extent of my ability to have input, it was conflicts with other band members, and like I said before politcal problems, as well as personal schedules, I just couldn't maintain the demand of the Scofflaws. As far as the sound of the Bluebeats versus the sound of the Scofflaws, it is hard to say that I wanted to break away from them to do this but when forming the Bluebeats I definitely had in
mind to do something more oriented to Rocksteady.
Did you intentionally leave horns out of the Bluebeats?
Mike: Yes, definitely.
I find that the music of the Bluebeats is very Ska and very rocksteady, but without horns, which is what most people look for in a Ska band.
Mike: That's the reason why I decided not to still play the horn and look for other horn players. Everyone thinks, oh Ska, horns and it's not true, not to say that its not cool to have a horn section, it is, but everybody has got a horn section, and it is not necessary. There are so many great Ska songs from the 60's that did not have horns and we wanted to be able to show that not only rocksteady and early reggae, as well as Ska, that it is not a prerequisite to have a horn section. You can put emphasis on other things and still make great music.
Who are your influences?
Mike: There are dozens. As far as the Bluebeats, Toots, Ken Booth, the Pioneers, the Ethiopians, the list goes on and on. But more than anyone else I'd have to say Toots, and Ken Booth.
What clubs do you like to play most?
Mike: I like the Cooler a lot, that is probably one of my favorite rooms in New York to play. The club is nice, the management's nice, and we usually get a good crowd over there. They have a decent sound system.
What bands do you like to tour with?
Mike: Well, we haven't toured, yet, but we have taken a couple of weekend tips out. We played with the Skatalites in Boston, and as far as on the toad we played Philadelphia with Ruder than You, but I really can't answer that question because we haven't gone on tour yet. But as far as bands we like to play with the Skatalltes, Ken Boothe, we did that rocksteady festival in Brooklyn summer before last, and it was just great. Ken Boothe was there, Phyliss Dilon, and a whole bunch of classic rocksteady artists. It was incredible. We played for a 99% black and or Jamaican audience. At first they didn't know what to make of us. They were like "what the hell are these guys doing here at this rocksteady festival?". They were looking at us with these puzzled looks on their faces until we started playing music, and then everyone turned to smiles and everyone started dancing, it was just a great experience.
Do you like Benny Goodman and that old jazz stuff?
Mike: Love it.
Who's your favorite artist from that era?
Mike: I would have to say Glen Miller. Glen Miller and Tommy Dorsey as far as the swing is concerned. I love all music really to one extent or another. As far as Jazz I like bee-bop but as far as swing Glen Miller is tops. My parents got me into that stuff, that was their music growing up.
When did you first get into ska?
Mike: When' first saw the advertisement for the Specials and Selector albums when they first came out. At this time I was into new wave punk, like the Clash, Devo and stuff like that. Then I saw this huge poster for the Selector and I said that this is fucking cool. So I bought it and then I bought the Specials and the Madness, I got into it from then and then went backwards realizing that this was not a music that began in 1979 but actually in the 60's in Jamaica.
OK, now time for the silly questions.
Mike: OK…
If you were a muppet what would you be?
Mike: If I was a muppet? I don't know (laughing) that is a silly questions, I'm too old for Muppets. I don't even know the Muppets to tell you the truth. I'm not too familiar with the Muppets.
What is your favorite Heavy Metal song?
Mike: Paranoid by Black Sabbath.
Your favorite Beatle?
Mike: John.
Your favorite BeeGee?
Mike: None of the Above.
Which one is better, Pepsi or Coke?
Mike: Coke.
Fritos or Lays?
Mike: Chips or Corn chips?
Corn Chips.
Mike: Fritos... Wait a minute, Fritos and Lays are the same company!
Oh, that makes me feel kinda stupid.
Mike: You just sounded like Butthead there.
Energizer or Duracell?
Mike: Whatever is on sale.
What is your favorite movie?
Mike: I don't have a favorite movie. "Lost in America" is one of my favorite movies.
What’s your take on the new Star Wars?
Mike: Very cool. I saw the first two. I saw them in a big theater, not a multiplex, the kind with the big screen and great sound. I took my kids to see them, they're into Stars Wars now so I'm experiencing vicariously through them, with the new toys, so it's pretty cool.
Anything to add? Any advice?
Mike: Dig rocksteady, I'm really surprised that this many people are diggin' us like they are. I thought that we'd be dismissed as "they don't have horns and they don’t play Ska" you know, that type of thing. I'm really glad that we are getting such great response as we are.
Thus concludes our interview with Mike Drance of the Bluebeats. If you ever get a chance to see them play, go to the show. If you don't you can always go out and buy their album which is called "Dance With Me" and is on Moon Records. By all means check out the Bluebeats, they rock!