We sat down with singer/songwriter John Krajicek to talk about the upcoming release of his band’s newest album on September 24 at the Grand Stafford. Krajicek is the main songwriter and vocalist for Leavenworth, a Bryan/College Station indie folk rock band.
When Krajicek decided to form the band in the fall of 2015, he had modest expectations.
“But little did I know,” Krajicek says, “that in very short order I would find three guys who are excellent musicians, kindred musical spirits, and also terrific individuals who’ve become great friends. We’re still blown away by how quickly and perfectly it all came together.”
Those three guys are Ross Hudgins (guitar and vocals), Kyle Littlefield (drums and vocals), and Jye Shafer (bass and vocals).
MW: We know you have a new CD being released in a couple of days, is there anything you can tell us about what to expect?
JK: Well, expect a really good record?! We are so pleased with how it came out. A lot of variety. Straight ahead alt rock songs. Quieter acoustic numbers (including one with a really sweet violin accompaniment, played by a violinist for the Brazos Symphony Orchestra, Adam Mikeal). A rock song that has an REM feel. And also a longer jam thrown into the mix that features our guitar player, Ross Hudgins, orbiting and running wild around a strong, hypnotic rhythm. We’re very proud of this variety, and we think people will dig it. We definitely have our own sound, but part of that sound is a conscious variety.
We are also very happy to be on the roster at Sinkhole Records, BCS’s only independent record label.
MW: What’s it like being a part of the College Station music scene, opposed to bigger cities like Austin?
JK: [Side note: I actually moved here from Austin.]
Of course it is much smaller, more tame, more contained. But that creates a unique camaraderie that I think you don’t find in Austin, Dallas, etc. It’s the irony of less is more. By having fewer bands, fewer venues, fewer gigs, both fans and musicians tend to appreciate more what we do have. All the musicians I’ve met in town have been incredibly generous and supportive. You don’t always find that to be the case in bigger cities.
It’s also cool that we can drive to any venue in town in 20 minutes or less.
MW: We know your band formed pretty recently, in the fall of 2015, what was it that finally got you to make the jump and form a band?
JK: I’ve played in several bands since I moved here in 1996, including several bluegrassy affairs and a few alt folk country rock bands. And these bands were great and very satisfying, and the guys I played with were (and still are) good friends. But like any relationship, there is always compromise involved, which can sometimes mean you wake up one day and say to yourself “this isn’t exactly what I want to be playing.”
I just felt it was time for me to start a band that is exactly what I want to do. The vibe, the gigs, and songs that felt totally right to me. That felt like coming home. Thus the name Leavenworth. That’s where I was born (Leavenworth, Kansas). This band is a coming home for me. When I decided to do that, I knew it might be a more difficult project to assemble in BCS than in, say, Austin. So I really didn’t have high expectations. But I decided that this time, no compromise. If I couldn’t find the right guys to make this project work, I’d just make it a solo thing (which is how it actually started). But in relatively short order, I found these three amazing guys. And I’m so grateful for that. It’s been really great musically, and they are now some of my best friends.
MW: When was the moment you knew you wanted to be a musician?
JK: Well, I’m much older than my band mates, and perhaps I’m dating myself a bit here, but for me it was mainly John Lennon and Bob Dylan. I cut my teeth in the late 60s and early 70s, and it was such an incredible time for music. The entire culture was changing, changing fast, and music was at the center of that change. I was on fire with it and knew I wanted to be a songwriter and performer from a very early age. Since that time, music has never been far from the center of my life.
I also remember the first time I played a live show when the audience was alive and really with it. Really in tune with what we were doing on stage. And what a magical experience. I walked off that stage saying “I want MORE of THAT!”
MW: You wrote a little bit about the provocative tension between what actually happened and how we create memories, can you tell me a little more about that and how it inspires your music?
JK: Absolutely. I never set out to write about this tension. It’s just what happened. I’m fairly obsessed with honesty and avoiding cliché in my writing, and the best way for me to do that is to write about what I know best. Which is my own experience and my own memories.
But I’m fascinated by the entire process of memory. We’ve all heard stories about how different people who witness the same event all recall it differently. Sometimes very differently. To some extent we clearly construct our memories. And that, to me, is really really fascinating. Is this really what happened? Or is that just the way I remember it? What am I inadvertently leaving out in my memories? I’ve heard it said that when we remember something that happened in the past, our brains are actually remembering the last time we remembered that event, not the event itself. So the more time passes, and the more we recall the past, the more chance there is for us to embellish, forget aspects, etc. Fascinating!
MW: Can you tell us a little about your songwriting process?
JK: I have the experience that I’ve heard a number of other songwriters speak about as well. Which is that when it is going well, there is a sense that the song is writing itself. Your role, as songwriter, is to get out of the way, not be too cerebral, and let it write itself. It sounds almost mystical or something. And I guess it sort of is. I have no idea how to explain it. Nor do I feel the need to explain it. Whatever forces there are behind it, it just is. It’s just how it works. Get out of the way and let the song tell you where it is going. Rarely have I sat down and said “I’ll write a song now” and produced something worthwhile. Rather, I just stay alert and open. I wait for them to come. And then I document them. One of my songs (“Hand it to You”) I actually wrote the majority of in my sleep. I woke up that morning, grabbed a guitar and pen, and simply documented it. Then, of course, I let it develop naturally from there. Again, I realize that sounds a little weird, but that’s just how it is.
Leavenworth’s newest album is releasing at the Grand Stafford Theater on September 24 at 8pm, doors opening at 7pm. You can buy tickets at the door for $5 for a special evening of new music.
