L-R: Pat Bradley, Eric Sebby, Pawl Tisdale

Eric Sebby is the anchor of Tangelo. By that, I'm not referring to the fact that he's their bass player, I'm referring to the fact that he's the one who actually prevents the band from actually lifting off from the stage during their frenetic sets. With his bandmates Pawl Tisdale, who drums like Animal from The Muppet Show, and Pat Bradley who's usually a blur from first note to last, stopping only long enough to tune guitars or pick up a megaphone, they need an anchor of some sort, lest they end up playing in an entirely different town than they started...Actually that would be pretty cool but I'll ponder that one on my own time.

When you hear Tangelo, you can spot the influences, but unlike many bands, the influences are so incredibly varied, and extend over such a vast span of time including clearly identifiable elements from '50's rock through '00's rock, that it all comes out uniquely Tangelo.

SCS: Pat, you and Pawl have played together in many bands, over the years, Pablo’s Triangle, Crèche, which was kind of a precursor to Tangelo. Why don’t you tell us how and when Tangelo formed as a band, and give us a history of your musical career.

Pat: Eric and I formed Tangelo in Omaha in 1997 after a driving around and discussing the future of our music careers. I was still playing with Pablo's at the time but felt the need to play more music. At that point in time we went by the name Tangelo Zamboni. We played miscellaneous shows here and there usually at coffee houses, small clubs, and a couple times we played for some third graders at their school. I moved back down to Lincoln and recruited Pawl to join the group after Pablo's separated. Pawl wasn't sure of his niche yet so he experimented with the keyboard and percussion, but no drum kit yet. Because we were recording our album we had no time to practice, just constantly playing the same 13 songs over and over. When we started practicing again preparing our songs to be played live without all the embellishments. Pawl began playing the drums and new songs came one after the other.

The bands I have played with are; Yellow Nut Sedge, Pablo's Triangle, Crèche, The Amalgamators, and a solo project called Moo Shoe Sunshine.

SCS: What about you, Pawl, you’ve been in Pablo’s, Sideshow, plus you do your solo stuff like Clean Plate Club and Mannheim Creamslinger. What other stuff have you been involved with?

Pawl: Floating Opera, Trout Mystery, Flesh Pedal, Dr. Solo, Sam the Butcher, Beer Buffet, Peer Puppet, Crèche, Pat the Bunny.

SCS: Eric, I know you were in Blue Oyster Cult, and Iron Butterfly, what else have you done over the years.

Eric: Celebration Day late 80's and Six Speed Universe in the early to mid 90's

SCS: Pat, how would you describe the sound you’re going for in Tangelo?

Pat: I never wanted to go for a sound. I wanted to see what would come out. I don't think any one of us would stop the creation of a song because it doesn't fit with a sound. We've stopped writing songs because they sucked. But not because it didn't fit with everything else. That would get a little boring, we have a major epidemic of ADD in this group, and I think that's probably why all our songs are less than three minutes.

SCS: What types of music and which musicians/groups influenced you guys?

Answered as a group: The Clash, Rolling Stones, James Brown, Flaming Lips, Liz Phair, Einsturzende Neubeubauten, Jane's Addiction, Negative Land, Jon Spencer Blues explosion, Mississippi John Hurt, Sly and the Family stone, Funkadellic, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Beck, Roots, The Pharcyde, The Kinks, Chemical Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, Howlin' Wolf, Vivaldi, Haydn, Early Metallica, Black Sabbath, Aphex Twin, Yes, Brian Eno, No means No, Killing Joke, OMD, Johnny Cash, Captain Beefheart. . . among others.

SCS: How does the songwriting work in Tangelo? Pat, do you pretty much write everything, as far as music and lyrics go, and the rest add their parts, or do Pawl & Eric get involved with the music/lyrics too?

Pat: Songwriting is an all inclusive thing in tangelo. Occasionally one of us will come in with a part, or a somewhat completed idea, but it really is just a lot of mistakes that became happy accidents. Our theory skills are that of a second year, eight year old piano student. Non of us could chart a song, so everyone is left to fend for themselves, if you screw up you are ridiculed and beaten.

SCS: I understand you’re shooting for a Dec 03 or Jan 04 release for the next album. Is it still on track, and what will the name of the next album be?

Pat: The music is there, the want is there, the money is not. So no there will not be an album by Dec or Jan. unless a crap ton of money comes into our laps.

We are thinking about calling the next album: Broke

SCS: Do you think growing up in Lincoln influenced your music, insofar as who you’ve played with, stuff like that?

Pawl: People in Lincoln seem to have less pretension, and more time to think about what they are playing.

Pat: Yes. I've had the pleasure of playing with some really great people. Playing in a band like Pablo's was a constant challenge; I always wanted to push myself to the next level.

Eric didn't grow up in Lincoln so we hit him because of it.

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

Pat: Lincoln Musicians are really diverse and it's not taboo to be in more than one band.

Dislike the fact that there are only a few places to play and if they put out the smoking ban, no one will come to shows.

SCS: You think so? I have friends out in California who said that it hasn't hurt rock shows at all, because people are going to see the bands, not just to smoke. So who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?

Pat: Wide, The dude on the corner with dreads and the bad ass Casio drum beats, Nick Westra.

SCS: What things have you learned and could advise to newer local bands, to give them the benefit of your experience

Pat: Warning 1
Do not overindulge in liquor or chemical substances before you play. You may think you just played the greatest show of your life, but you didn't.

Warning 2
Don't dream, just play.

SCS: What was your most memorable live Tangelo performance?

Pawl: Sidetrack, or this Party we played in Omaha in this guys living room, we were not expecting much, but there were noodle dancers and hippy's spinning around.

Pat: The lets Draw Monsters review on this website describes my most memorable show, It's was so hot, I let go of a lot of well monsters that night.

Eric was unavailable for comment, but past favorites I know of were, Sidetrack, House Party, and I'm sure there were others.

SCS: Do you hate playing Sugarloaf now?

Pat: No.

SCS: What’s your favorite song of yours to play live?

Pat: They're like children how can you pick one over the other? Some need attitude adjustments and some are going to do what they do no matter what. You may feel some wrapping them up in duct tape and throwing them in a closet but we all know that is wrong

Pawl Likes "Home to You, B.O.P.

SCS: Who was the first person or band you saw that made you want to play music?

Eric: Angus Young AC/DC

Pat: This Polka band I saw when I was 5. the bass player smoked a pipe and rocked it two step style.

Pawl: Gary Newman

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

Eric: Let there be Rock AC/DC

Pat: Aerosmith Permanent Vacation

Pawl: Pleasure Principle

SCS: Whose music are you listening to right now?

Pat: The Shins, Spoon and Jay-Z, Unplugged album w/the Roots A lot of 50's and 60's Lounge, and Bad 80's Metal.

Pawl: A lot of 50's and 60's Lounge, and Bad 80's Metal.

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

Pat: