LiveMusicDaily.com | Exclusive Interview
Jesse Hensley of the Big Something
Interviewer: Andrew McConnell
Big Something, is easily one of the top rising talents on the jam scene in the country. I do not speak such words lightly. This could be the next big jamband, the ones to help carry the torch, this is jam music at its finest.
The group moves your soul to uncharted sonic spaces astronomers could only dream of discovering. Their newest release is their finest case of showmanship to date. Big Something is on pace to join the greats on the scene, charting territories only the best jam acts have embarked upon. Their most recent album to date is nothing short of exceptional, a hard rocking journey with a storm of synths, menacing hard-rock riffs, stadium rock meets classic rock drumming, and sax lines that’ll leave listeners breathing for air as you ascend to the soaring heights of magic of their self-titled sophomore album.
Big Something’s lead guitarist Jesse Hensley spoke with Andrew (Founder) of LiveMusicDaily.com to discuss their most recent album, live performance, his musical influences, and more.
You handled the studio aspect of producing this new album very well. You all did not compromise Big Something’s knack for instrumentation, how did you manage to make a good studio album, but not take away from showcasing the signature live sound of The Big Something ?
I think that probably goes a long way back to when we had been playing these songs well before we recorded them so we had a pretty good idea of the structures and what not to compromise. Then going in with John Custer our producer, he is a brilliant dude as far as sonic engineering; knowing which sounds go where. It makes your ear tickle the right way. Being able to take those songs to him that we had been playing for probably 2 years or longer, showed him what we had and asked what artistic/production work can you do onto of these ideas we have ?
We go into the studio, play the parts, and don’t think about it really hard or at least I try not to…In the past recording sessions we track things out separately. So usually when i am there doing my guitar part it is just me and Nick and John.
There is no other underlying things to worry about, such as someone waiting for you to finishing laying down your part so they can record. You can really focus on what you want to do. Personally, I went in on it this last album and did not really think about it as hard, it turned out really great. I learned a lot in terms of what my guitar should sound like in the mix, not only in the studio, but live as well. I think we all have kind of learned that. John has a way of manipulating things in the mix. You are playing the part you wrote, but he knew what it was supposed to sound. He has a gift for making it even more approachable to the listener.
I think it is a mixture between having the song ready to go and also having someone who can take the song and do something with it. Overall it was a mutually beneficial experience, we certainly learned a lot from one another. We definitely learned a lot from him.
One of the biggest aspects is that a lot translates after we hear the record a few times. There are things that we did not know we were doing that stand out now. That carries over in the live setting we start to focus on those things more and it becomes something new.
Yea, I mean I would agree overall it was a very successful album. Jambands often fail to reach their potential on a studio recording.All the jams have directions and the lyrics are full of substance, it is accessible to a new listener, but don’t get me wrong it is by no means easy listening. I think that is is hardest part perhaps for a jamband is making an accessible album that refuses to compromise performance ?
Laughs Oh yes I know exactly what you mean it is accessible, but like you said not easy listening. There are some songs on that album that have hundreds of tracks going on them, a lot of sonic movement. Custer has done that stuff for so long, he just instinctively know where things go, he is quick. When you are playing it in the studio you feel good about it, there is no question about it, you are thinking “that is the part”.
As a guitarist I really enjoy your tone, gritty space rock tone with a lot of vibratos and fast-paced playing at well calculated points in the song. Could you tell me about your guitar rig you use live and the one you used on the most recent album ?
For me growing up I never thought I would be playing this type of music growing up so a new thing for me is figuring out my tone. I played acoustic a lot my dad was bluegrass musician so I grew up playing traditional style with him, the first part of me learning guitar was never on an electric guitar. Growing up, I never thought I would be playing this type of music. So a new thing for me is figuring out my tone. I played acoustic a lot my dad was bluegrass musician, so I grew up playing traditional style with him. The first part of me learning guitar was never on an electric guitar. Honestly, maybe my style of playing could’ve come somewhere from the acoustic guitar. Because of its tonality. For me its a strength thing, its emotional.
I listened to Stevie Ray Vaughn a lot growing up. Stevie had a way of playing the guitar, part of his personality, that came out in his playing. I try to leave myself open for that which can be hard sometimes because you’re trying to write a part and play it. I think part of the tone is how I approach the guitar.
Now I play a Warmoth parts guitar. I’ve been playing it for about five years. It is a semi hollow body, it doesn’t feedback like a hollow body, but it is not tinny like a solid body. The amp I am using is a 1967 bandmaster silver face, run through a Mojo cabinet. It’s kind of barebones, but had this one pre-amp I use a lot called the BB plus made by Exotic. In the studio I use a pedal made by Mark Faroh out of Raleigh. I’ve never met him, I bought the pedal from another guitarist. It has a fuzz tone, but also that octave effect is built-in. I can’t use that pedal live cause it doesn’t sound as good as it does as in the studio. So I think my personality comes through in my tone, and one unique aspect is that I actually built my own guitar. After using the same rig close to five or ten years it is just second nature.
The Big Something in general is ,at the core, a hard rock act with sonic space sounds with electronic ambience, but one great game-changer in any band is having a killer saxophonist. How have you added Casey’s sax work into a band that is a hard rock act?
I think that is on Casey, well, we call him Brog. He has instinctively found his own way of doing that, he comes from a whole different background. He grew up playing music in school and learned a lot of great jazz music. Casey is very into everything, I do not want to even start listing all the things he can do – it really is beyond me. His style of playing is not really based off of one particular type of music. He is a huge Grateful Dead fan and he is a huge Phish fan, those types of sounds tie in well with his jazz background. He is an alto sax player, which for me, I think the alto cuts a lot better in a rock situation because it is a more tinny instrument. Plus the tone he gets from his instrument – his natural way of playing is great, we have all gelled well with it.
You grew up around a studio with your dad, one that you two built, is it a place for formal recording or more for getting the creativity going for new ideas you have ?
Well my dad mainly built the studio, it was his project, he has always been into music. We have a woodworking shop downstairs, he used to build instruments. When he got settled in life, he made enough to build his own studio it took since I was about 13 to finish it. We lay down ideas there, but have not recorded a particular album, more for me it is just great to have a place to go in a comfortable environment and play.
The album Title Songs from the Middle of Nowhere is not the name by coincidence. The Carolinas are home to many great musicians, the landscapes are beautiful out there and as a fellow musician I know that nature can be one of the most inspirational motivators in terms of creativity. For you personally, how has the music scene and the lay of the land so to say been a part of your musical journey?
Yes, I think it inspires all of us. You can take a day trip and see the ocean and the mountains in the same day. All that scenery visually in effect, in turn leads you to start thinking. Sometimes we just drive around during the day to clear our minds and to get your brain fresh before playing that night, can lead to looking at the set-list a little differently. NC is awesome, you got a lot of folk music, back in the day you had the beach music scene so I grew up listening to a lot of that, we all did. We all reside here now, but Nick is from Bethesda, MD , Ben grew up in DC, Josh is from Deleware, and then Doug & I are the hometown rednecks I guess ( Laughs). We all met up in college at Elon, we all started playing together. It used to be called the anonymous band when I first joined, there was another guitar player & another sax player. The band has definitely mutated a bit into Big Something. NC has been a breeding ground for all that has come out of this. We are all influenced by different things, having grown up from all over, but NC is a great home, ya know ? I think for us the most important part is the people.We feel comfortable here which allows us to make the best art. I grew up basically in the Middle of Nowhwere no pun intended, which that was the idea, being out in the country, literally sounds from the Middle of Nowhere.
The way I heard of you guys was when my old roommate Charlie Scott went to the Big What one summer, he came back to Dallas & the magic in the woods was all he could talk about, could you explain the festival to those who may not be familiar with the event ?
It is a great spot, a lot of energy there, it is a smaller festival about 800 or 900. It has certainly grown over the past two years. There’s a lot of people that help plan that. We are looking at over a thousand people this year. I think we are going to play all three nights. It is a roundup of all of our favorite bands, people we have been playing with and touring with. Relations you make on the road – those friends you try to keep up with. This festival is a homecoming of sorts, just a real good hang out in the Raleigh area. It gives us a cool place to be artistic in the way we truly want to be. It is cool to be able to plan that stuff & just play as long as you want to, but honestly I just focus on the music. Nick, Jeremy Bell, and Quinn they are big into the logistics, Possum Holler Production. You should definitely come out this year! It’s a real BIG time!
I encourage all of you to hop on board for the Big What, support live music and catch the Big Something on tour in a city near you !
Upcoming Tour Dates
Mar 20 – The Blue Nile – Harrisonburg, VA
Mar 21 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC w/ B Side Shuffle
Mar 22 – Cafe 611 – Frederick, MD
Mar 28 – The Chop Shop – Charlotte, NC
Mar 29 – Ziggy’s – Winston Salem, NC w/Big Daddy Love
Apr 3 – Sycamore Deli – Blacksburg, VA
Apr 4 – The Hot Spot – Waynesboro, VA
Apr 5 – The Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC w/Big Daddy Love
Apr 10 – The One Stop – Asheville, NC
Apr 11 – Ziggy’s By the Sea – Wilmington, NC Widespread Panic After Party!
Apr 12 – Ziggy’s By the Sea – Wilmington, NC w/Big Daddy Love
Apr 17 – The Boone Saloon – Boone, NC w/Donnie Dies
Apr 18 – Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival – Pittsboro, NC
May 1 – High Rock Outfitters – Lexington, NC
May 2 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA w/LINGO
May 3 – New Brookland Tavern – Columbia, SC w/LINGO
May 7 – The 8×10 – Baltimore, MD w/Moogatu & Jahman Brahman
May 8 – River Street Jazz Cafe – Plains, PA
May 14 – The 8×10 – Baltimore, MD w/Bumpin’ Uglies
May 16 – Grove Winery – Gibsonville, NC 7pm All Ages
May 22 – The Pour House – Charleston, SC w/The Heavy Pets
May 28 – The 8×10 – Baltimore, MD w/Aqueous & Subtle Hustle
May 31 – Domefest – Terra Alta, WV
June 6 – Mountain Music Festival – Minden, WV
June 26-28 – The BIG What? Festival – Mebane, NC
July 5 – Riverside Sounds – Roswell, GA
July 26 – The Gathering at Chaffee’s – Girard, PA
Aug 22 – Camp Barefoot Festival – Bartow, WV