From left: William Ong (percussion), Ramsey Morton (keys), Dwayne Barnett (guitar), Carl Sigler (bass)
Meet the Musicians
Dwayne Barnett
Guitar
From: Toledo
Day job: Making pizza
First album: First CD was Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. Art Blakey is one of my jazz heros.
Ramsey Morton
Keys
From: Richmond, Kentucky
Day job: Account manager
First album: Men in Black soundtrack
William Ong
Percussion
From: Columbus
Day job: I teach private drum lessons for a living and freelance.
First album: The First cassette that I personally owned was The Beavis and Butthead Experience, which had Nirvana, Anthrax, Megadeth, Run DMC, Aerosmith, White Zombie, Primus, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jackyl and Cher with Beavis and Butthead. I was 9, so what do you expect? Ha.
Carl Sigler
Bass
From: Pickerington
Day job: I’m an IT guy.
First album: Green Day’s Dookie
Broad & High Presents: “Friday Night Lights” by OLDE FRNDS
On Music
What’s the story behind the band name?
Will: We all met in Olde Town East, and we are friends. The (missing) vowel part is ’cause we’re lazy. But also there are a lot of bands called Old Friends, so copywriting “OLDE FRNDS” was a better choice when it comes to people looking us up and whatnot.
Tell us about your songwriting process.
Carl: Usually Dwayne or Ramsey come up with parts or melodies, and we get together and flesh them out into songs over a week or two.
Dwayne: Lather, rinse, repeat.
Will: I think it’s more fun to take people on an audial journey. I feel the world needs to listen to more instrumental music for inner reflection, instead of having people telling them what emotion to feel.
Broad & High Presents Web Exclusive: “Pineapple Cloud of Lies” by OLDE FRNDS
How do you describe your sound?
Carl: We sound like a banshee trying to break into a DQ for some chickee tendies.
Will: What Carl said, but mix some jazz, electronic, math rock on the Bluetooth speaker in the kitchen.
Broad & High Presents Web Exclusive: “AFIB” by OLDE FRNDS
Talk about your new album, The Future is Unnecessary.
Carl: Hopefully people like the new album. I’m very proud of this record, and it’s always great to hear it resonates with people.
Will: This is the best music I have ever been a part of creating with such wonderful people. Definitely the best sounding record I have ever been a part of making. It sounds very amazing on vinyl btw. #shamelessplug #musicolrecords
Choose three musicians, living or dead, you’d invite to dinner.
Carl: Laura Jane Grace, Thundercat and Stepan Rak. The first two have a big influence on both the way I play and listen to music. Stephan Rak is just a b–a– classical guitarist, and I’d love to talk to him. I bet Laura and Thundercat felt the same.
Ramsey: Pharrell, Prince, 03/2012 Kanye.
Will: Sheila E, Art Blakey and Rahsaan Rolland Kirk.