Meet the Band Rocking Out at the Music Building
The Holdouts were born when Kent Mark (lead guitar, vocals, and tastemaker) corralled four vagabonds together. Heavily influenced at their core by early rock, the band fuses Americana and blues for a new sound that’s not to be missed.
The remaining Holdouts feature smooth Carl J Spataro (drums, backing vox, and spiritual leader), John Herman (bass, renaissance man at large) and Maggie Frances (lead vocals, occasional keys, and keeper of the zoo).
Here, we sit down with Kent to chat life, NYC, and his inspiration:
If your life had a soundtrack, what would your theme song be?
I’m in a pretty good mood today so I’ll have to go with Modest Mouse’s “Float On.” If I’m not mistaken, it’s pretty much about letting go and rolling with what life throws at you. Had you caught me on a bad day, I’d go with Buddy Guy’s “I Smell a Rat.”
What would be the title of your memoir?
“Wait He Wasn’t Singing ‘Like a Douche in the Night?’ And Other Things I Got Wrong in Life.”
What does your ideal NYC day look like?
Well, my ideal day would start with me rising around 9AM and jogging down to the beach…stopping afterwards for some fresh avocados at the local farmers market. The temperature is a breezy 78 degrees and the skies are clear. In N Out burger is starting their preparations..oh, sorry. Wrong city. I think the best days in NYC are those where you have zero plans yet wind up in 4 different neighborhoods..drunk..sunburned..and full of regret. More often than not, it involves a lawn, the MoMA, some greasy hole in the wall restaurant, the Bowery Ballroom, cheap $5 sunglasses, and a few stiff drinks.
Where does your inspiration come from?
There’s a mystic totem that sits at my bedside..telling me things every morning:
“You’re not going to make it today. Try something else.”“Did you really say that to her last night? Wow.”“Did you forget you’re not Steve Jobs and shouldn’t be walking around in that outfit?”
I get lots of great inspiration from him.
Who are your biggest influences?
Right now, I’d have to say Joss Whedon. He’s had such a roller coaster career and yet he persevered and got to make the movie he wanted even in this hot mess of a studio system we have. Sometimes passion and talent really do win out over greed and capitalism. On a more extreme case, I’d also have to say Jeff Buckley. He was really a unique talent who bent genres, formats and our way of thinking about music. Oh…and my other great influence…Grimace. As a band, we’re influenced by all things American…blues, folk, jazz, rock, deep fried Twinkies, tofurky…what have you. Ryan Adams, Wilco, The Band, Bonnie Raitt, Freddie King, Bee Gees..it’s all in the mix.
Want to hang the band? You’re in luck.
