Hailing from Temecula, California, The Forty Nineteens is a very recommended Garage Rock/Power Pop trio with a Motor City power plant and good-time raucousness. Their sound was forged in LA's underground alternative scene. 60s garage rock, meets 80s garage pop. "Good Fortune" is their 4th release and the best so far. The album includes a brilliant rendition of "Time is on my side". This blog had a very interesting chat with drummer Nick Zeigler
A) Hello! The band is John Pozza/vocals-bass-guitar, Chuck Gorian/guitar, Nick Zeigler/drums vocals.B) John and I met many years ago in a Detroit/LA garage band called The Leonards. We would tour the US, and performed with The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Detroit friend Chad Smith tried out for the Leonards prior to joining RHCH) The Rain Parade, Gun Club, Thelonious Monster, Red Cross, and countless other LA bands. The Leonards is still an active band, just not That active. John formed The Forty Nineteens with Chuck a few years ago in Temecula Calif, and they proceeded to ask me to join the band.
C) Vocalist John and Chuck work in the legal arena, and 4019 is California's legal code for good behavior credit. Example: If you are serving a sentence, every day you stay out of trouble, you get one day off of your sentence. I.E. time off for good behavior. Our motto. "Everyone deserves some time off for good behavior."
2) About the recently released "Good Fortune" CD, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a live in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?
A) We work with David Newton (guitarist of the Mighty Lemon Drops) in his Burbank studio. The band generally does preproduction in our hometown of Temecula (midway between LA and San Diego) working out song structure/lyrics. Once we feel ready, we take the traveling circus up the 5 freeway and set up the tents in Burbank.
The band prefers vintage gear
-John uses Gretsch, Hofner guitars, with a Vox AC 15 and a Fender Bassman rig.
-Chuck uses Fender stratocasters with a Vox AC 30
-I use Gretsch Catalina Jazz drums and/or a Ludwig kit with a Rogers Dynasonic, and Ludwig 402 Supraphonic.
B) The band doesn't have a go to style in the studio, typically we record live, yet we sometimes we will lay a song out with me clapping a beat along with acoustic guitar, then we add the layers. We've discovered that this process encourages secondary melodies, and backing vocals. It's a lot of fun, and we come up with cool stuff on the fly. It really gets the creative vibe going.
3) What are your favorite topics to write about or the topics that come easily when you write a new song?
A) John has a large extended family in the area, and when people start talking, the stories or experiences are so interesting that they need to be told or preserved. John has a knack of putting these stories to music. John traditionally tends to write about relationships, or experiences with people. I tend to write about cars, sentimental things, and offbeat characters. Those things fascinate me enough to write about them.4) The Forty Nineteens have an undeniable American approach of Garage Rock and Power Pop that could lead to compare you to The Woggles, The Fleshtones, The Smithereens etc. Do you agree with this comparison or do you consider there is way more than that?
A) Thank you for acknowledging our Garage / Power Pop leanings and said groups. We are indeed fans of those bands. I with how you feel we are similar to those bands. Not only are we fans, we also admire their work ethic. Those groups set the bar pretty high.
A) John tends to write most of the material. I write one or two tracks per album. Chuck writes at times too. John comes up with the melody/lyrics, I tend to arrange the songs, or add a verse/chorus/melody. Chuck will also suggest things in the structure / melody. If someone has a better idea, we always go with what services the song.
6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.
A) John is into The Beatles, Graham Parker, The Romantics, which is clearly shown in every album.
Chuck likes SoCal punk which can be heard on every release. I like all 50s rock n roll, early British Invasion, soul, anything that moves.
7) Do you have a video on youtube featuring a track from the latest release?
We are currently working on them, and will let you know as soon as they are ready.
8) What can concert goers expect at a gig of The Forty Nineteens? Besides "Time is on my side" Are you playing any famous cover songs?We regularly perform at Temecula outdoor wineries with bands like Berlin, Robin Zander, Gin Blossoms, The Fixx, The Alarm. One can expect a fairly fast paced show. Everyone is encouraged to dance, as our songs tend to get people out on the dance floor having fun.
You will hear us play Peace Love and Understanding, I Walked with A Zombie, Dead Flowers, Behind the Wall of Sleep, Route 66, Back in the USSR, I Need to Know, Last Dance with Mary Jane.
9) What are the plans for 2018 as far as The Forty Nineteens are concerned? Are you guys planning to tour Europe soon?
A) We are going to write new songs while we are hunkered down for the holidays.
The band plans to make an East Coast USA Swing, West Coast northern swing, and are looking for promoters to book us in Europe. If you know anyone, please forward them our info!!!!
10) Anything you would like to say to the viewers of this blog?
We want to thank you all for living and breathing music, supporting new music, new artists, listening to the radio, telling friends about new bands.
Thank you for your enthusiasm for music!! Artists can’t do a thing without you.
Keep Rocking!!
PURCHASE IT HERE : https://thefortynineteens.bandcamp.com/album/good-fortune
