Vol. 1 No. 1 (March 1, 2003) Page 4

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Kevin Griffin and Graham Colton singing "Sympathy for the Devil" at the second BTE Christmas show 12/14/02 (Photo: JulieF)

IN STEP WITH GRAHAM COLTON

The SERENADE got a chance to chat with Graham and his band mates at a recent show at the Glenville Spot (known affectionately as the "G-Spot") in Glenville, New York. We asked the band about the highlights of their tour with BTE, the relationship between the bands, and what’s in store for the future.

The band are:
Graham Colton (Lead Vocals/Guitar)
Brian "Turtle" Turton (Backing Vocals/Guitar)
Drew Nichols (Backing Vocals/Guitar/Slide)
Ryan Tallent (Bass, Keyboards)
Jordan Elder (Drums)

Has the band recovered from the BTE Christmas shows in New Orleans?
Ryan: "Physically yes, emotionally? I’m not so sure."

Graham: "Yeah, we had a fantastic time. But, thankfully we had 3 weeks off afterwards to kind of chill out and relax after so long on the road."

Jordan (laughing): "Hey, I was fine. It was my turn to be the designated driver."

Turtle, how did you get the Santa Claus gig?
Turtle: "I enjoyed that. Actually, it was a spur of the moment thing. When we finished our set Kevin Griffin came over, looked me in the eye and said to me (in a serious voice): "Turtle, I want you to do 2 things for me:

 (1) Start drinking heavily; and
 (2) PUT ON THE FAT SUIT!"

"Turtle Claus" in all his wanton glory
 (Photo: VioletteFay)

What was the highlight of your tour with BTE?
Jordan: "Definitely being in New Orleans with BTE. I mean, everybody there knows them and they get the royal treatment, so we kind of got it too. It was great."

Graham: "Believe it or not, the highlight for me was riding the BTE tour bus from Bloomington up to Chicago. After a while I fell asleep and next thing I knew I woke up in Chicago right outside the House of Blues. The Chicago crowd was absolutely amazing. One of the best I’ve ever seen."

Are you seeing many Ezralites at your shows?
Ryan: "Yes, particularly in Chicago."

Graham: "Oh yeah, we seem to get a few people at almost every show we do."

How’s life on the road treating you?
Ryan: "Things are a little less hectic this tour. We’re allowing a few more days off so our schedule is maybe a little easier than it was."

Graham: "You know, not bad. We’re learning and writing. It’s also basically one big soap opera, but it’s going well."

"Cigarette" is a great song, how did the collaboration with Kevin come about? Will it be on your new album?
Graham: "Thanks. When we played with BTE in Washington, DC this past summer, we really sort of hit it off. So, Turtle and I headed down to New Orleans to do some writing with Kevin. We wrote 3 songs in one sitting. With Cigarette, the song just came together with pieces being done by each of us. I think it’s a great example of how 3 guys can get together and build a great song from the ground up."

Can we expect a new CD in the near future?
Graham: "Definitely. Right now it looks like we’ll head into the studio at the end of April. And, we’re hoping to have the new record out in the fall."

Got anything to say to BTE fans?
Graham: "Sure. We’ve seen how BTE and their fans are really like an extended family. The band genuinely appreciates their fans. They’ve had a great career and continue to make incredible music. Part of this is that they’ve been able to experiment. I don’t think they would have been able to do that without the fans they have. The bands success is really a tribute to the fans."

Graham: "You know, I’m not sure I’ve ever told anyone this, but BTE is one of the reasons I decided to pursue music full-time. When I was a junior in high school my Dad took me to Los Angeles for a vacation and the hotel was right next to the House of Blues. BTE were playing and I went to the show. It was amazing. I’d always like BTE’s music, but there was such a feeling of chemistry between the band and the fans. That atmosphere kind of made me realize how great rock ‘n’ roll can be."

ED

Editor’s Note: GRAHAM COLTON are on tour now and coming to a city near you. Check out www.grahamcolton.com for their latest tour dates!