Birth of Cape's Cool

Fill, Cape's very own jazz-rock sensation, started playing open mic nights at The Camp on Main Street ... when it was alive and kicking. Guitarist Chris Stephens and bassist Wes Ables met drummer Brandon Glenn during an improvisational jam thrown together by Bob Camp himself. After what has been described by Wes as a "horrible moment of beautiful noise," Fill was born -- and so was the smooth section of the current local music scene.

Off -- What are your favorite local bands and why?

Fill -- Emaciation, the Sorries, Fists of Phoenix, Minus the Star, used to like Rock Solid but they died, whatever band Smitty is in (we love the Smits), Shapeshift, Strange Brew, Holt m'er f'n Dugan, International House of Pancakes (not the Beatles) Blues Band.

Off -- Who are your influences and why?

Fill -- The Slip, Benevento Russo, John Coltraine, Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Yes, nothing to jam band-y, metal, jazz, rock, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, King Crimson, Larry David, Eastern music/philosophy, religions, music and art in all its forms and musicians. Anything can be an influence, it all depends on where the mind is and isn't.

Off -- Why do you think the crowds are different when you guys play as opposed to, say, when the Dirty 30s play?

Fill -- What we think the crowd is thinking has been completely different than the reactions we've gotten. After a set sometimes we'll be like "f**k yeah man, that was great," or "damn we really blew tonight." But as soon as we say that, someone will come up to one of us and tell us that was the best music they've heard in Cape or anywhere in a long time, and usually we send the person who said that to the guy in the band who really thought the night went bad.

As far as how they (the crowds) are different ... I haven't been to a Dirty 30s show, but from what I've heard it's like a party, everyone is drunk and having a good time ... especially the band.

When we play (so we think, we never really look at the crowd unless they are really getting into it) we think it's more of an attentive audience. We are like a musician's band. Those who do play and like trying new things like us because they want to do what we are doing but never get a chance to. Once at a show some people were dancing, but it was kinda funny cause our songs change so much within a single song, its kinda hard to dance to.

Off -- Where are you guys expecting to take this? Is it a hobby or more of a serious project?

Fill -- Fill, the band really has no goal in mind. If you work too hard on trying to "make it," you totally ruin why you started in the first place.