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The Presidents of the United States of America Biography
Presidents of the United States of America were one of the most unlikely success stories of the post-grunge alternative rock scene in Seattle. Where the rest of their Seattle brethren traded in heavy guitars and heavy angst, the Presidents rejected torment for humor.
In this exclusive interview, guitarist Dave Dederer discusses self-promotion, self-expression and staying connected with community.
How did you promote yourself and your music when you were first starting out?
Well, we didn't promote ourselves, other than putting a few flyers on tables at shows. The Presidents didn't promote ourselves too much. It just happened. Within six or nine months of starting out, we were packing the biggest clubs in Seattle, all on word of mouth. Seattle is a good place for that. And we started getting approached by major labels before we had a manager or a even a demo. It seemed normal at the time, but I now realize how abnormal it was. Everything just flowed.
Did you ever doubt yourself or think about giving up?
I think about giving up music every time I pick up a guitar. What comes out of my amplifier or my mouth always falls far short of the magic I hear in my head. Playing music can be very transcendent and joyous, but a lot of the time for me it's mostly frustrating. The reality so rarely matches the vision. I gave up on the music business before I even got into it, so that's never been an issue. The music business is neither. Not music, not business.
What's the wackiest thing you ever did to try and get a gig or sell a record?
We did some amazing things: played on the beach in San Diego, in the parking lot at Pink's Hot Dogs in LA, on a boardroom table at a San Jose radio station, on a flatbed truck in Minneapolis and on the street in NY, LA, Boston, Baltimore and others. I'm proud of all that stuff -- most bands couldn't pull that off. I think you can drop us into any situation and we can make music and get people into it. Communicate with the crowd, which is what music is all about.
What other ways do you express yourself creatively outside your music?
I used to do a lot of painting and writing. Now I'm married and have kids and I put my creative energy into being a good husband and father. And I like to express myself in sports -- I've been skiing since I was two years old, and I find skiing to be very satisfying as an expressive medium. More so than music. I feel like I can look down almost any slope in any conditions and picture a beautiful line and then ski that line. I can't do that in music -- if somebody starts playing Duke Ellington's "Caravan" at 200 beats per minute, I can't hang with that.
How much did others encourage you to express yourself at an early age?
A lot. My mom and dad have always encouraged me to express myself in whatever medium. And they've validated my expression. Probably to a fault.
What is your community today, and how do you stay connected to it?
The community I care most about is my wife and kids, my immediate family. That comes before everything else. Beyond that, I'm involved in so many communities: greater family, friends, my neighborhood, social and political causes, the music scene...I wish there were 48 hours in the day. I spend most of my time every day reaching out to people in person or on the phone or on email trying to stay connected.
Do artists and musicians have a responsibility to be leaders in their communities?
No more or no less so than anybody else. We just have the advantage of having more visibility in some cases. I think in a functioning democracy we're all obliged to be leaders in our communities, at least in the sense of being informed and having an opinion and sharing that opinion.
Who do you aspire to be compared to?
Well, I think I suffer by comparison to most of my heroes, which would include Willie Nelson, The Clash, The Who, The Beatles (including George Martin), Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters. I just try to do the best job I can of being me, both musically and otherwise. That's the only strength I can find in this world, as an artist and as a person. You have to find your own voice and then nurture it, be honest and true to yourself. It's trite, but it's true. And harder to do than it is to say.
Who are you sick of being compared to?
No one really, I havent had to think about this at all. n/a?
Do you think music can change the world?
Yes, but only in its capacity to be a shared, transcendent experience. Overt messages don't work.
Describe one of your proudest moments as a musician/performer/artist.
I'm so proud to step on stage with Chris and Jason every time that I can hardly contain myself. Every single time we get up there I'm convinced that we're the greatest rock and roll band on the planet. I don't think there's any reason to take the stage as a band if you don't have this sort of conviction. If you don't believe, the audience never will. It's like what Jack Nicklaus says about putting: "I've never stepped up to stroke a putt without first sinking it in my mind." I strive for that kind of honesty, integrity and focus every time we play.
In this exclusive interview, guitarist Dave Dederer discusses self-promotion, self-expression and staying connected with community.
How did you promote yourself and your music when you were first starting out?
Well, we didn't promote ourselves, other than putting a few flyers on tables at shows. The Presidents didn't promote ourselves too much. It just happened. Within six or nine months of starting out, we were packing the biggest clubs in Seattle, all on word of mouth. Seattle is a good place for that. And we started getting approached by major labels before we had a manager or a even a demo. It seemed normal at the time, but I now realize how abnormal it was. Everything just flowed.
Did you ever doubt yourself or think about giving up?
I think about giving up music every time I pick up a guitar. What comes out of my amplifier or my mouth always falls far short of the magic I hear in my head. Playing music can be very transcendent and joyous, but a lot of the time for me it's mostly frustrating. The reality so rarely matches the vision. I gave up on the music business before I even got into it, so that's never been an issue. The music business is neither. Not music, not business.
What's the wackiest thing you ever did to try and get a gig or sell a record?
We did some amazing things: played on the beach in San Diego, in the parking lot at Pink's Hot Dogs in LA, on a boardroom table at a San Jose radio station, on a flatbed truck in Minneapolis and on the street in NY, LA, Boston, Baltimore and others. I'm proud of all that stuff -- most bands couldn't pull that off. I think you can drop us into any situation and we can make music and get people into it. Communicate with the crowd, which is what music is all about.
What other ways do you express yourself creatively outside your music?
I used to do a lot of painting and writing. Now I'm married and have kids and I put my creative energy into being a good husband and father. And I like to express myself in sports -- I've been skiing since I was two years old, and I find skiing to be very satisfying as an expressive medium. More so than music. I feel like I can look down almost any slope in any conditions and picture a beautiful line and then ski that line. I can't do that in music -- if somebody starts playing Duke Ellington's "Caravan" at 200 beats per minute, I can't hang with that.
How much did others encourage you to express yourself at an early age?
A lot. My mom and dad have always encouraged me to express myself in whatever medium. And they've validated my expression. Probably to a fault.
What is your community today, and how do you stay connected to it?
The community I care most about is my wife and kids, my immediate family. That comes before everything else. Beyond that, I'm involved in so many communities: greater family, friends, my neighborhood, social and political causes, the music scene...I wish there were 48 hours in the day. I spend most of my time every day reaching out to people in person or on the phone or on email trying to stay connected.
Do artists and musicians have a responsibility to be leaders in their communities?
No more or no less so than anybody else. We just have the advantage of having more visibility in some cases. I think in a functioning democracy we're all obliged to be leaders in our communities, at least in the sense of being informed and having an opinion and sharing that opinion.
Who do you aspire to be compared to?
Well, I think I suffer by comparison to most of my heroes, which would include Willie Nelson, The Clash, The Who, The Beatles (including George Martin), Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters. I just try to do the best job I can of being me, both musically and otherwise. That's the only strength I can find in this world, as an artist and as a person. You have to find your own voice and then nurture it, be honest and true to yourself. It's trite, but it's true. And harder to do than it is to say.
Who are you sick of being compared to?
No one really, I havent had to think about this at all. n/a?
Do you think music can change the world?
Yes, but only in its capacity to be a shared, transcendent experience. Overt messages don't work.
Describe one of your proudest moments as a musician/performer/artist.
I'm so proud to step on stage with Chris and Jason every time that I can hardly contain myself. Every single time we get up there I'm convinced that we're the greatest rock and roll band on the planet. I don't think there's any reason to take the stage as a band if you don't have this sort of conviction. If you don't believe, the audience never will. It's like what Jack Nicklaus says about putting: "I've never stepped up to stroke a putt without first sinking it in my mind." I strive for that kind of honesty, integrity and focus every time we play.
The Presidents of the United States of America All Music Guide Biography
The Presidents of the United States of America were one of the most unlikely success stories of the post-grunge alternative rock scene in Seattle. Where the rest of their Seattle brethren traded in heavy guitars and heavy angst, the Presidents rejected torment for humor, writing short, simple, and absurd punk songs that relied more on goofy attitude than sludgy riffs and tormented screams. It was a formula that worked, as the group's self-titled debut album became a double-platinum record much to the surprise of many critics, music industry insiders, and the band itself.
Childhood friends Chris Ballew (lead vocals, two-string basitar) and Dave Dederer (three-string guitbass, backing vocals) played in a number of groups and projects before forming the Presidents of the United States of America around 1990. The duo recorded a demo tape, which began circulating around the Seattle musical community and, in the process, earned them a cult following. Drummer Jason Finn, a member of Love Battery, saw the duo in 1991 and, after a few years of persuading, joined the band in 1993. Within a year after Finn joined, the Presidents became one of the most popular bands in Seattle. In the spring of 1994, they released their eponymous debut album on Pop Llama Records. The record became an independent hit and the band attracted the attention of major record labels; the group eventually signed with Columbia Records, who re-released the Presidents' debut in the spring of 1995. By this time, Finn had left Love Battery to become a full-time President.
The Presidents of the United States of America became a hit in the summer of 1995, when MTV and modern rock radio began airing "Lump" frequently. "Lump," followed by the radio hit "Kitty" in the fall and the radio/video hit "Peaches" in the spring of 1996, propelled the album to a surprise Top Ten, double-platinum status. The band quickly capitalized on their sudden success by releasing their second album, The Presidents of the United States of America: II, in November of 1996.
In December of 1997, the Presidents called it quits after Chris Ballew left the band to spend more time with his family. A farewell concert followed in February 1998 and a rarities album, Pure Frosting, was released in March. Rumors of a possible reunion and collaboration with fellow Seattle resident Sir Mix-a-Lot (under the collective name Subset) floated around in 1999, but the project never materialized. However, the band did reconvene in 2000 (without a rapper) under the officially shortened moniker the Presidents and released their third album, Freaked Out and Small. Another long hiatus preceded the release of Love Everybody in 2004. That same year the band reissued their debut album on their own label in "Super Bonus Thrillpack" edition featuring a DVD. Late in 2007 the Presidents announced a new album, These Are the Good Times People, would be delivered in the spring of 2008. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Childhood friends Chris Ballew (lead vocals, two-string basitar) and Dave Dederer (three-string guitbass, backing vocals) played in a number of groups and projects before forming the Presidents of the United States of America around 1990. The duo recorded a demo tape, which began circulating around the Seattle musical community and, in the process, earned them a cult following. Drummer Jason Finn, a member of Love Battery, saw the duo in 1991 and, after a few years of persuading, joined the band in 1993. Within a year after Finn joined, the Presidents became one of the most popular bands in Seattle. In the spring of 1994, they released their eponymous debut album on Pop Llama Records. The record became an independent hit and the band attracted the attention of major record labels; the group eventually signed with Columbia Records, who re-released the Presidents' debut in the spring of 1995. By this time, Finn had left Love Battery to become a full-time President.
The Presidents of the United States of America became a hit in the summer of 1995, when MTV and modern rock radio began airing "Lump" frequently. "Lump," followed by the radio hit "Kitty" in the fall and the radio/video hit "Peaches" in the spring of 1996, propelled the album to a surprise Top Ten, double-platinum status. The band quickly capitalized on their sudden success by releasing their second album, The Presidents of the United States of America: II, in November of 1996.
In December of 1997, the Presidents called it quits after Chris Ballew left the band to spend more time with his family. A farewell concert followed in February 1998 and a rarities album, Pure Frosting, was released in March. Rumors of a possible reunion and collaboration with fellow Seattle resident Sir Mix-a-Lot (under the collective name Subset) floated around in 1999, but the project never materialized. However, the band did reconvene in 2000 (without a rapper) under the officially shortened moniker the Presidents and released their third album, Freaked Out and Small. Another long hiatus preceded the release of Love Everybody in 2004. That same year the band reissued their debut album on their own label in "Super Bonus Thrillpack" edition featuring a DVD. Late in 2007 the Presidents announced a new album, These Are the Good Times People, would be delivered in the spring of 2008. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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