--Ada Wofford
------22 April 2020
In this, our first edition of Life During Quarantine, we chat with Damian Bugg (Medford, Oregon) from The Music of Frank Ellis—A band with a literal muse, Frank, who is a ghost that the band consults with for tunes.
MLU: Tell us what instrument(s) you play and what project you are currently working on—If nothing current, what have you worked on recently or in the past?
Bugg: My primary instrument now is Guitar and Vocals. I am currently in, The Music of Frank Ellis.
MLU: What type of guitars do you have?
Bugg: My two primary guitars are a Fender Telesonic and an assembled Telecaster copy. I occasionally play a Guild Starfire 4.
Bugg's Fender Telesonic
MLU: As a musician what have you been doing during quarantine?
Bugg: I have been communing with Frank, my bands in-house specter, to write new material I have also been learning covers that I would just like to know.
MLU: Can you elaborate on what it means for your band to have an “in-house specter”?
Bugg: Our Band, The Music of Frank Ellis, composes songs that are presented to us by the ghost of Frank Ellis. Frank is the spirit of Rock and Roll and we feel blessed that he channels his music through us. Frank Ellis is the songwriter, we as The Music of Frank Ellis channel his music and present it to whomever will listen.
MLU: So, your bandmates are also meeting with Frank during this time?
Bugg: Yes. Every band member writes their own parts to each song. We then put the parts together and make it work.
MLU: Cool. Does Frank have any thoughts on the pandemic?
Bugg: Frank believes that when people put aside ego they can make the world a better place.
MLU: I like Frank. So, this question wasn’t designed with such a cool creative process in mind but—Do you feel that quarantine is affecting your productivity as a musician/writer? If yes, how so? If no, why not?
Bugg: Quarantine has really helped me tap into the deeper recesses of Frank's messages. There is a lot more that he has wanted to say and new ways that he has wanted his music to come out. So, because of more idle time I have been able to really listen to him in ways that I haven't before. As a player, I can tell you that not having gigs every week has really helped me woodshed a good deal of skills that I haven't had enough time for.
MLU: Oh, true. I hate having lots of gigs cause I can never write.
Bugg: Constantly doing shows means constantly practicing for the content of those shows. I feel like now I am more focused on being a musician than a performer.
MLU: Definitely. So, are there any specific techniques you have been working on? I’ve been working on my shredding.
Bugg: Different scales, modes, all the triads…all of them.
MLU: Awesome. What’s your favorite key to solo in?
Bugg: I am boring. I love good ol' A. Although C minor and B minor have been fun. I love singing in B.
MLU: Nice. I play a half step down but in general I love Am pentatonic and Em pentatonic. I give lessons and I start everyone on the Am pentatonic scale. Ok, so next question—What records have you been gravitating towards during this time?
Bugg: When I need to go up, I have been listening to Feed the Animals, - Girl Talk.
MLU: Oh, shit. I haven’t heard Girl Talk in years.
Bugg: I have actually been starting a lot of my mornings with, Keep Forgettin' by Michael Macdonald. I can't help it. I love me some Yacht Rock. And it’s just such a good groove to start the day to.
MLU: Nice. Do you think you’re gravitating towards them specifically because of the quarantine?—If so, why?
Bugg: Yes, I think gravitating towards touchstones especially musical touchstones during quarantine is common. It's grounding and safe during a time that is anything but.
Damian Bugg hanging out with their home rig
MLU: Yes, that’s a great answer. So, next question—Writing a song about quarantine/the pandemic—Cool or Cheesy?
Bugg: It depends. It can be either depending on the delivery. There are a lot of great songs about isolation, fear, powerlessness, but there are also a lot of really trite songs about the same concepts.
MLU: I’ve been seeing a lot of musicians writing songs about it so I’m really interested in what people think about this. Personally, I’m a bit of a snob and think it’s a bit cheesy.
Bugg: It's like when Waters wrote The Wall. That whole concept has Jung and facing the shadow-self written all over it. But does Roger mention Jung? No.
MLU: True, but it wasn’t' like the whole world was obsessed with Jung at that very moment. That’s more what I’m talking about. Like, everyone is experiencing the same thing so it's almost immediately a cliché to write about the quarantine but that's just me being me.
Bugg: Yes, I think that using metaphor is the best way to write about current events. Because that can really show listeners the unique, truly unique perspective of the writer. I am totally with you.
MLU: Yes, that can make it timeless that way.
Bugg: Timeless! That is the word. Right now, we are in a horrible outbreak. Artists do us no service by reducing it to pop culture. Take time, examine it, feel it, reflect, years later...write.
MLU: Yes, I totally agree! Next question—What’s the first thing you plan on doing once this is over?
Bugg: I rarely go to bars, and never drink at shows. However, I would like to go out have a beer and have a laugh with some strangers/new friends at a bar. Any bar.
MLU: Have any live streams coming up?
Bugg: No, we aren't practicing together during quarantine and I don't like presenting Frank's songs without the rest of Frank.
MLU: Last one—Just for fun, if you were to write a song about quarantine or the pandemic, what would you call it?
Bugg: Right now? I think I would call it, “A New Kind of Lonesome.” But I mean, I could still write a song called that about a walk of shame.
MLU: Haha, good answer!
The Music of Frank Ellis will be releasing new music soon. Follow them on Face Book to keep up to date.
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