For most bands, there’s a moment that comes, while jamming or writing or performing live, when things just click. For Valley band Paper Piano, that moment occurred during a benefit this past winter for Northampton arson victims.
“Jason [Bourgeois] needed a band for the show,” says guitarist Ryan Quinn. “He called the other three of us, and we decided right away it was working, and decided to continue doing it.”
“I feel like there was a moment where we were like, ‘Let’s do this,'” adds drummer Justin Pizzoferrato. “It was meant to be a one-off, but it felt awesome—it just worked.”
Singer and guitarist Bourgeois says that the initial idea was to perform a set of his own material, but he quickly realized there were three top-notch singers in the band—Bourgeois himself, Quinn and bassist Mike McClellan—so they might as well alternate turns at the mic.
The night of the benefit they only had a four-song set, so, in true egalitarian fashion, each of the singers sang a number, and then shared vocal duties on a fourth.
“Now we’re all trying to write stuff, all around and at the same time, like Traveling Wilburys-style,” says Bourgeois.
And like the Wilburys—the ’80s supergroup featuring Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne—each member has adopted an alter ego for Paper Piano.
“Justin is Ron E’Claire, an assistant hotel manager,” Bourgeois says with a laugh. “Ryan is Red St. Cotton; Mike is Tony Barcelona, international ladies’ man; and I’m Dusty Shoulders.”
“What’s your job?” Pizzoferrato asks Bourgeois.
“I think you’re the only one with a job,” he laughs.
Bourgeois says that, while the four musicians are enjoying playing together, busy schedules and involvements in other projects preclude Paper Piano from collaborating as much as they’d like.
“This is a band and it isn’t a band,” he says. “If we’re all free, we’ll jam and come up with songs and stuff.”
Despite the quartet’s part-time status, they are currently planning their first CD.
“We’re working on an EP, recorded in our [rehearsal] space,” Bourgeois says. “Justin and Ryan will be engineering and producing. [Mike and I] will be playing Nerf basketball and eating pizza while they’re setting stuff up.”
While the foursome’s debut will feature a variety of songwriting styles and voices, Bourgeois and Quinn contend that McClellan will be the one to bring chart-busting tracks to the proceedings.
“Mike writes great pop songs, definitely,” says Quinn. “We’re lucky if the two of us get on the album.”
Bourgeois agrees. “Mike writes the hits, and we write the B-sides.”
Paper Piano plays the Brass Cat in Easthampton July 31 with Death to New England and Evil Bill. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/thepaperpiano.
