On Sunday, January 18th, King Ave 5 will be screening the movie "Indie" at 4 pm. Admission is FREE. "Indie" tells the story of a handful of Columbus, Ohio musicians and their passion to succeed. Director and accomplished musician himself, Pete Vogel was kind enough to answer some questions concerning the movie. Click here for Facebook event link
Colin G. - You always have a ton going on, but making movie is a monumental task: How long had the idea for "Indie" been kicking around in your brain?
Pete Vogel: I was asked to join Matt Monta and The Hot Coal band in December 2009 and had been away from the scene for a few years. After playing a few gigs with them - all shared between other acts - I realized what an original and diverse scene Columbus had evolved into during my absence. The ideas came almost immediately...hearing these new bands and talking to these new artists, it just seemed like a good fit for me to put a storyline to this discovery.
C.G. - I always love asking, what was the moment when you knew this crazy idea had to become a reality? Did something inspire you to take that last huge step?
P.V. - I had just purchased the Canon 60-D camera which shot real good low-light video and all I really wanted to do was make some good, high-quality video for some of my friends. I was so happy with the outcome that I started making vignettes of some artists I admired...including montage clips and interview clips of some of my favorite artists. Over time I had compiled enough material to put a full-fledged film together....it simply evolved out of my video work.
C.G. - Did you know exactly where you wanted this movie to go or did it take some twists and turns you weren't expecting along the way?
P.V.- The movie kind of "wrote itself" as I was putting it together. Performances and/or interviews took on their own life and before you knew it, the story was written and all the pieces came together. It was actually kind of miraculous because I didn't really write a story board or plan too much. It slowly evolved over a six-month period of watching people perform and asking for interviews.
C.G. - Being an accomplished musician yourself, how did you choose the musicians to be featured in the movie? What qualities as a story teller did you find interesting?
P.V. - I actually had my "short list" of performers I wanted in the flick and some of them panned out and some didn't. For instance, I really wanted the perspective of Columbus through the eyes of Willie Phoenix, but it never crystallized. I also wanted to focus on a band called "The Songbirds" but they had gone on hiatus due to the fact that both women were pregnant. Some of the artists were referred by their fans - such as Joey Hebdo - and some were bands I had seen and thought were worthy of being documented.
C.G. - Just for the hell of it, who are some of your favorite local musicians? Who just blows you away?
P.V. - I have several favorite musicians, all for different reasons. I think Matt Monta is one of the most original lyricists, and he paints a beautiful picture with his words. The Shaw Brothers are talented, interesting & beautiful to listen to, and I'm a big fan of their stuff. I like the country sensibilities of Angela Perley and the Howlin' Moons, especially when Angela was on dobro. And lastly, I think the best songwriter in town is Joey Hebdo. What he can do with his voice is truly inspiring.
C.G. - Is there a scene or two that you think really captures the spirit of the movie best? Something people should give a little extra attention to?
P.V. - My favorite scene in the movie is when I caught video of a jazz acoustic guitarist named Shohei Toyoda. He's originally from Japan and had been teaching at a music store in Worthington. He was at Woodlands Open Mic and went up and performed an original composition that floored me. Of course, there were only about 15 people there...go figure.
Also, I think my interview with Donna Mogavero captures the spirit very well. She's an iconic Columbus musician...she's been a big supporter of local music as well, and capturing her essence on film was intriguing, to say the least.
C.G. - If people are interested in sharing this movie with friends, what is the best way for them to do so, if they cannot make a screening?
P.V. - If they can't make the screening, they can contact me about a private screening. Or if they want to purchase a DVD I'm selling them for the low, low price of $10. They can contact me via e-mail: petevogel@yahoo.com
C.G. - Can you give us a quick update on upcoming gigs and projects you have cooking?
P.V. - Right now I'm playing drums with a fantastic cover band called Stadium11. We're a bunch of dudes who really dig the arena sound from our childhood, so we've been together for six years and love playing the quintessential "stadium gig." If you like Boston, Styx, Journey, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc., you'll love our band. Check us out: www.stadium11.com
C.G. - Final question, you get to play drums for one song with any band in history: What band and what song?
P.V. - I'm still waiting for Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey to call me and ask me to join their next tour. I'm pretty sure they have my phone number. I'll continue to wait.