Chanty Stovall's previous band, The Fools were just hitting their stride when they met their demise due to band members moving away. After a few years off the live scene, Chanty's back with a new band, Producers Of The Word. Consisting of Chanty on Guitar & Vocals, and Josh Meyer on drums, they are picking up where The Fools left off, but based on what I've seen of them so far, I think they're already heading into slightly more adventurous territory than The Fools had gotten to. Be sure to check 'em out when you see they'll be playing somewhere.

SCS: How and when did Producers of the Word form as a band?

Chanty: Josh moved back from Missouri in 2003 and we decided to reunite and work on some new material. Our first show was last year at the Nebraska State Fair.

SCS: How would you describe your band or your sound to someone who’s never heard or seen you, and how would you say this is different from The Fools?

Chanty: At the moment, we are a two-piece consisting of guitar and percussion, which could change in the near future. That is one way to describe the band. When Shawn Ballerin was in The Fools, he was another musician who provided input. Now it is only Josh and I. Shawn definitely brought a jazz/funk influence into The Fools, which is something we are trying to salvage.

Josh: We’re straight ahead rock and roll. We have a lot of energy and love to get the audience involved.

SCS: How would you describe an Producers of the Word show? – What can someone who hasn’t seen you live expect?

Chanty: People can expect a rock show. We play mostly original material, but we do have a backlog of covers as well. We appreciate the genres.

Josh: They should be ready to dance…maybe even mosh a little. We love when the crowd gets involved- that’s why we’re up there, to entertain and share the power.

SCS: So what types of music and which musicians/groups influenced the band members?

Chanty: All types. I particularly pay attention to strong melodies, playful lyrics, and personality. I also contend with the ghost of Buddy Holly and the presence of Bob Dylan.

Josh: Early punk rock. The Sex Pistols, Descendants and NOFX are my predominant influences, though of course just plain old rock really inspires me too.

SCS: What are your goals for this band? touring or just playing around town?

Chanty: Keep playing wherever opportunity presents itself. It takes a lot of time to do what you want to do, and maybe I’ve made the mistake of becoming a musician in the first place, but it’s too late now. Music is a hard field for supporting oneself. There’s so much competition in the professional field, and congress continues to reduce funding for public school music programs. You make a lot of sacrifices, and say a lot of hellos and goodbyes in life. You’ve got to eat and avoid war. I’ve little choice. If I weren’t playing music I’d be running around in circles.

Josh: I’d love to be able to make a living from performing live music. It would be wonderful to tour the country, see the sights and just live the life of a musician. That, and I love the groupies.

SCS: Tell us about the song “Producers Of The Word”. That song reminds me a lot of The Fall. What’s it about and how did it come to you?

Chanty: That’s one of those melting pot songs where all sorts of ideas can be worked into a single source. We had the band name, then, I started going around the apartment singing our name to the tune of that lip-synch show from the 80s ‘Puttin’ on the Hits’. It soon turned into its own melody and I added lyrics neutralizing the provocations of our band name: We had already been asked if we were a Christian rap band. Finally, why not have a song about your own band, like the Monkees and the rappers who rap about themselves.

SCS: How have you grown, musically and creatively, since the band first started?

Chanty: The careful use of dynamics has helped us grow in both of those categories. When you are a songwriter who also performs your own material, you’re locked into a two-way street. In writing, you often start from the outside and then focus the ideas and music into its own creation. When you perform those songs, you ask yourself from within “Okay, now what did I mean by that, and how do I want to go about presenting it?” The meaning can altercate itself, depending on how your day is going, how much sleep you’ve had, etc. If anything, we are Reactionary Rock, responding to the world and events around us. The songs are tools of expression.

Josh: Playing with Chanty has really opened up my horizons. His knowledge of different musical genres has injected such a creative life into POTW as well as into my own playing.

Chanty: I had a lot of fun playing it. I wish I could go back in time and do a few things different, though.

Josh: Oh heck yes. The turnout was great, the crowd was into it and it was such an honor to play at the Zoo Bar.

SCS: What do you like and dislike about the music scene in Lincoln?

Chanty: Wow, you really want to know? I like the people. I don’t know half of them by name or face, but I recognize them because they are musicians and are making themselves vulnerable, just like us. Most musicians in Lincoln are also very supportive of each other. Funny thing about playing music, you may never be friends, but you can still get along. Dislike? Well, it would be nice if more of the Lincoln community supported local music. Almost like a willing to place oneself on the learning curve. Finally, we don’t normally play metal, but we would love to play a show with Wasteoid.

SCS: Who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?

Chanty: Josh Hoyer, from ‘Electric Soul Method’, is an amazing musician. He plays O street saxophone on the weekends. There are so many others worth mentioning, musicians and bands, it’s fascinating how much talent we have. There is even a fellow who works in the same library as I do, and plays the bike. Seriously. He tweaks the spokes, taps the tires, bumps the seat, and there is a recording of it somewhere on the web.

Josh: Definitely Chanty first. I also dig Mark Wolberg, Tery, and all the guys in Wasteoid.

SCS: Have you learned anything in your experiences in a band that you feel newer local bands could learn from, or made any mistakes they should avoid?

Chanty: I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had stopped playing music when ‘The Fools’ broke up over 2 years ago. Don’t quit, unless you really have something else better to do. And keep a handle on your old friends, or band mates when you start a new band and are meeting new people.

Josh: Just play what you feel. You need to love what you do first, before you can inspire others. If you’re not enjoying the music, the crowd won’t either.

SCS: Who’s your favorite local band to play with?

Chanty: The ones we haven’t played with yet; I get a kick out of mis-matches

SCS: Do you think growing up/living in Lincoln influences your music in any way

Chanty: Well, in terms of rivalry, East Coast vs. West Coast is deflated once it carries over into Huskerville. That may be the biggest influence right there actually, The Huskers. At least the Huskers who used to play tough as teamplayers, keep the ball in their court, extend graceful sportsmanship and demonstrate exceptional athletic ability. Put those characteristics in a band and you might have something. Hey, the Huskers went to jail too!

SCS: If you could wipe any two bands off the face of the planet, who would they be?

Chanty: You mean, as if they never existed and any memory or physical item I have by them would suddenly disappear and I would never know the difference? You may need those two bands for a future comparison or to set an example. Okay, Okay, ahhh....

Josh: Def Leppard- haha, just kidding. I wouldn’t wipe any bands of the face of the earth. Bad karma dude.

SCS: Are you planning on recording with this band?

Chanty: Yes, a nice minty vinyl 12” with a laminated gatefold.

SCS: Was there one defining moment that led you to a life of rock and roll?

Josh: No, it’s pretty much just been a crescendo since I’ve been young.

Chanty:I saw Stevie Nicks perform ‘Gypsy’ on HBO when I was 5. It was when she was in Fleetwood Mac. She wore a scarf around her head and somebody threw a bouquet of flowers at her feet during the performance. Also, my dad took a picture of me snapping my fingers to a big Elvis Presley tapestry at the State Fair when I was 7 years old. He loved that picture.

SCS: Yeah, I've seen that photo around your place, that's an awesome picture! Aside from Stevie Nicks, was there a particular person or band you saw that made you want to play music?

Chanty: That I saw? Well, MTV was just coming out when I was 5 years old. Aside from the Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac incident I mentioned, I saw the movie Streets of Fire at age 7 and enjoyed ‘The Blasters’ performances, particularly ‘One Bad Stud’. It looked like everyone was having a good time in that scene. I want to have a good time.

Josh: It wasn’t so much a band as just the music itself. I started off playing percussion in the orchestra and I’ve been hooked on performing ever since.

SCS: What's your take on the current state of modern rock radio?

Chanty: It’s all going in different directions. Who’s going to be in the rock hall of fame 30 years from now? Probably a bunch of rappers. Does it matter? Most likely not, but I don’t know that for sure.

Josh: Who am I to judge the state of modern rock music? I’m just out to play homie.

SCS: If you could tour with any band in history, who would be your dream band to tour with?

Chanty: Jeepers! I did read ‘The Dirt’, Motley Crue’s autobiography. I remember hearing that the ‘New York Dolls’ were big show-offs and would make fun of anything, so maybe those guys.

Josh: Nirvana..

SCS: What was the first album/CD you bought?

Chanty: The first cd I ever bought was the Stones’ ‘Let it Bleed’, and I sold it within hours because I didn’t have a cd player at the time. Actually, I won a cd from the Eagle and went out to Homer’s, trading my certificate for ‘Let it Bleed’. It was one of those contests where you call when they play 3 songs in a row by an artist. One morning, when I had to go to school, high school that is, the Eagle played 3 Beatles songs in a row. I called and was the 6th and 9th caller, which is the winning call. I think the Eagle was trying to trick their listeners, because the three Beatles songs were all from the second side of Abbey Road and ran together.

SCS: The DJ probably just wanted to go outside to smoke, and that was the easisest way to do it! So whose music are you listening to right now? -- What other bands would you recommend people check out?

Chanty: I just acquired a copy of ‘The Godz’ s/t lp. It’s from 1978, and the band sounds like a raw Boston. I also cannot get enough of Badfinger’s ‘Wish You Were Here’. It’s a dark, tragic album; one of the band members committed suicide two weeks after its release. I’d place it with the likes of ‘3rd/Sister Lovers’, ‘Tonight’s the Night’, and ‘The Idiot’.

Josh: Lots of punk rock like NOFX and The Clash. I’m also really digging the new Foo Fighters double CD. I think people should go and check out new local music. You never know when you will discover something great.

SCS: List off your top five albums of all time.

Chanty: