The Expendables’ Winter Blackout Tour could not be more aptly named. In the midst of record-breaking snowfall in New England, the California-based band is hoping that the less-than-ideal weather won’t keep fans from coming out and getting sweaty Sunday at the Paradise Rock Club.
“Our most important thing is trying to put something down on record that the fans can enjoy,” said Raul Bianchi, the band’s lead guitarist, in an interview with The Daily Free Press. “What’s most important for us, especially with the live shows, is that the audience has a really good time, and that it’s a fun experience for people … and that they’re kind of lost in the concert.”
Bianchi said while recording, the band makes every effort to recreate the kind of energy they give off in one of their shows, but it hasn’t always been easy. To create the best experience possible for both the band and the listeners, Bianchi said, The Expendables have crafted a unique recording process. The group recently purchased a warehouse in Santa Cruz, California and transformed it into a personal recording studio. Bass and drum recordings are done in professional studios, but the band tends to record everything else on their own.
“It’s pretty big. It’s about 1,100 square feet, and we converted two small rooms into recording studios, so we now have our own full-time studios,” he said. “It’s really nice to have the freedom to record comfortably any time that you want and at any pace that you want.”
To Bianchi and the band, that means recording independent from major studios.
That recording process is a perfect example of the laid-back, California culture that The Expendables exude and credit much of their style to. Bianchi said their Santa Cruz beginnings have had a huge influence on the band, especially in their formative years. He said their biggest influence was the reggae, punk and surf music that was popular at the time, as well as the surf culture of the town itself.
“A lot of people feel that you can’t blend styles and genres,” Bianchi said, refusing to assign the band a genre. “As musicians, if it sounds good, we play it. We like a lot of different styles — punk rock, blues, reggae, jazz — and we write all kinds of different songs. Sometimes, they blend together. Sometimes, it’s a mixture, and sometimes it’s stand-alone pieces … If the song comes through, we play it.”
Bianchi said the band is most popular in coastal towns, especially those in California and Florida, because the style of music tends to be more popular in those areas. Despite being more popular along the coast, he said they still have large numbers of fans in the Midwest and Northeast who come out to have fun and support the band, regardless of the weather conditions.
The next few weeks will bring a few firsts for the band, as they make their way through the Northeast. They will be playing in Maine for the first time, marking their achievement of playing in all 50 states. Also, the concert at the Paradise Rock Club will be their first live-streamed show. Yahoo! Music is partnering with The Expendables to provide a stream of the concert for those who cannot make it to the venue.
All of it — the band’s new album and their tour — has Bianchi excited to see it unfold, and he said he cannot wait to share the experience with fans, regardless of the method.
“And if you like it, tell somebody and come to a show,” he said. “Because you will not be disappointed.”
