When: 10:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21
Where: Mojo’s Roots ‘N’ Blues Afterparty
If you were to ask random passers-by if they’d heard of the band Lord Huron, you might find the answer “no” to be a commonality. However, as this rising American folk/rock band makes its way to Columbia, Lord Huron’s name is destined to become a familiar one.
From a small town in Michigan to the bright lights of New York City and Los Angeles, Ben Schneider and his band, Lord Huron, have been on their fair share of adventures, with their next being a show Sept. 21 at Mojo’s.
Before he hits the stage, however, lead man Schneider shares insight on the band’s debut album, _Lonesome Dreams_, reflects on the tour and even throws an R. Kelly reference into the conversation.
**[MOVE]:** You’re only into your third date of the tour, but how has it been so far?
**[Ben Schneider]:** It’s been good, you know. I mean the couple of L.A. shows were kind of a warm-up for the rest of the tour, but it’s been nice being able to try out the new material. It’s our first chance to test out the new songs from the upcoming album, so that’s definitely exciting.
**[M]:** You’re from Michigan — is it nice to come back to play to smaller midwestern cities, such as Columbia, as opposed to L.A. and New York?
**[S]:** Definitely. Growing up in a small town in Michigan, we never really got any necessarily big acts to come through, so it’s something that hits home with me. It’s always special to have a chance to play for fans that don’t have the same opportunity to see the artists and bands they want to see, as opposed to people who live in bigger cities. I’ve only been able to play in Michigan once before, so that’s something I’m really excited about for this tour.
**[M]:** You’ve released music before (the _Mighty_ EP), but what’s special about your first full-length album?
**[S]:** It’s our first chance to show a complete body of work. This was our first time working with a label (IAMSOUND Records), and it has given us a lot more muscle when you consider being able to record in an actual studio, along with good band promotion.
**[M]: **Albums take a while to release. Is it hard for you to wait?
**[S]:** It definitely gets frustrating at times. It’s like, you’ve worked so hard and so long on a project and when you finally finish it, you want to show people what you’ve done. It’s exciting to see people’s reactions, good or bad, and I’m used to releasing something the moment I get it done. So yeah, it has definitely been a little frustrating. But it’s all about learning how to play the game when it comes to working with a label. They know when the best time to release something is, so you just gotta trust the process.
**[M]:**Speaking of your album, what can we expect from _Lonesome Dreams_?
**[S]:** Mostly just a continuation of past projects. We really worked hard refining our sound and with a bigger production budget, the sound quality is much better. Getting a chance to record live together in a real studio helped shape our sound a lot. It was also our first time working with an engineer so that was nice. You can definitely expect a western sound to our songs — real traditional American folk music with our own twist.
**[M]:** Your music and lyrics seem to suggest a portrayal of travel and discovery. Is this what you go for when writing your music?
**[S]:** Absolutely. Traveling is an important theme in my life, going from a small town in Michigan to Los Angeles. I’ve actually been getting a little restless in L.A., so the touring helps. It allows me to get into the world, and my want to do that is definitely reflected in my music.
**[M]:** Who are your biggest influences musically?
**[S]:** I’d have to say artists like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen have had the most impact on me. Even someone like Paul Simon. They aren’t just great musicians, they are storytellers, and that’s something I connect with.
**[M]:** What has been the best part of being able to release a record and tour across America?
**[S]:** The best part so far has been able to see family at shows. It’s a pretty cool thing to see your friends and family out in the crowd watching you do what you love doing.
**[M]:** If you could create your own super band, who would be in it?
**[S]:** To be honest, I would have to pick all the guys that are with me right now (Mark Barry, Miguel Briseno, Brett Farkas and Tom Renaud). They are all great players, and we have great chemistry. We are all good friends, and I don’t think there is one thing I would change.
**[M]:** What’s something embarrassing that I would find perusing your iPod?
**[S]:** _(Laughs)_ Uh, you know I don’t really think there is anything embarrassing on my iPod. I’m pretty comfortable and open with the garbage I have.
**[M]:** Come on, everyone has something that’s even just a little bit embarrassing.
**[S]:** If I had to throw out an artist, I’d probably say, maybe, R. Kelly … although that’s not too bad. Lately I’ve been going through that phase of listening to all the crap you listened to in middle school.
**[M]:** That’s something we all go through.
**[S]:** Yea. I mean some of it was pretty good, but for the most part it was all pretty bad.
**[M]:** Anything you want to say to your Mizzou fans that will be coming out to see you?
**[S]:** You know, just come ready to have a good time! I’m really looking forward to gettin’ down with y’all!