Neon Nights

Neon Nights is Lou Molitch (Guitar and Vocals), Jeff Borgueta (Drums), and Matt Richardson Bass and Vocals). They are easily one of the most talked about bands to hit the Seattle Rock music scene in recent years. The trio plays a blues-based rock that sounds nothing like the blues. The band itself is quick to point out that they sound like no other band in Seattle. Just watching the band play is exhausting. They waste no time with filler and never let off the throttle, from the very first note of each set to the last. They are literally drenched in sweat by the end and seem to be almost gasping for air because of the physically demanding way they perform.

Much of the talk about Neon Nights has surrounded its lead guitarist Lou. If you listened to the strong opinions of some in the rock clubs, you would think Ziggy Stardust himself was taking over as lead guitarist. Naturally, curiosity got the better of me. I quickly found myself at a Neon Nights show to see what all the fuss was about.

In fact, the band is very impressive musically. Lou is a must see guitarist for other guitarists. Sure, he plays rock based in the blues, just as guitarists before him, like Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Slash, Joe Perry and many others. The difference with Lou is that every riff he plays is lightening fast and totally based on hand and finger reflex, which shows countless hours of practicing. He makes it look easy, but any guitarist who watches Lou play will agree that it’s not and takes a tremendous amount of dedication and practice.

Lou is also one of the most self-assured “rockers” I have ever met, full of rocker bravado. Some might even describe him as cocky and arrogant. I was actually leery about doing the interview, because the guy is so “in your face”. I assumed that if I asked even the simplest question, one he didn’tt care for, he would chew me out or walk away from the feature story midway through. I even had a back up featured artist just in case. I was sure that he would protest the fancy, perfectly lit location that we had picked for the band’s photo shoot, insisting it had to be done at the band’s practice space. That is typical of the way Lou handles everything, which is fine with me. These guys aren’t about looking pretty in magazine shoots, but assaulting you with rock and telling you not to let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Lou’s personality off stage is just as explosive as it is on stage, where he constantly uses the F- word and makes jokes at the audience’s expense. For example, at a recent show he taunted the audience with “You like Metal?” Obviously, the audience cheered in agreement expecting him to say he liked it as well. “Well, that’s too bad, I like the fucking blues.” At that point he simply began to rip into the next blues-based rock number, beginning with a solo by himself, showing off his incredible finger dexterity. The audience went nuts once again. He was so fast on the guitar, the audience forgave whatever abuse he dished out and went wild every time he played throughout the entire set. He’s so damn good, it’s impossible to be mad at him.

I can’t say Neon Nights is one of the best bands on the planet, but it’s a pretty safe bet to say that they are musically one of the best in town right now, at least in my opinion. Lou is so self assured about himself and his ability as a guitarist, I could not resist asking him if he honestly feels that he is the best guitarist in Seattle rock, as some claim. “That is pretty much understood and is the general consensus” was his reply.

Sure, Lou’s vocal style is an “acquired taste”, but the same can be said for Dylan and many others, who showcase guitar work or song writing over vocal style. As far as his claim to being Seattle’s best rock guitarist, I have not seen him play enough to agree, but let’s just say at this point, I never miss a Neon Nights show.

After their last show, a friend asked me what I honestly thought of Neon Nights. My answer was, “Well, if they can keep themselves from self destructing, they’re going to be huge.” The friend also asked about Lou’s stage persona, if it was real. “I’m pretty sure it’s not a show and he’s actually, in fact, dangerous.” That is the type of band this. With this amount of sheer raw energy, attitude, and take no prisoners view on the rock music business, many bands simply make a huge splash and then implode. For the sake of Seattle rock, I hope that is not the case.

Are you the best guitarist in Seattle in your opinion? Also, who would you say are the three best guitarists on the Seattle rock music scene right now?
I’m not only the best guitarist in Seattle, but I’m the best guitarist in the world! Self taught no less! I’m definitely the best guitarist in Neon Nights and I’m also the best shit talker. I don’t know who the top three are but I think the baddest dude ever to come out of Seattle (besides Jimi of course), is Blind Marky Felchtone. Zeke was a huge influence on our band early on. Death Alley is an album that I literally say with a straight face, changed my life. That’s some serious guittarin’.

What guitarists were most instrumental in helping you learn to play?
I started playing when I was 9, after seeing the movie La Bamba. I became obsessed with Buddy Holly and Brian Setzer and all the fifties rock n’ roll stuff. I basically learned how to rock from the ground up. It’s like when they teach you history in school, and they do it chronologically. That’s how I learned to play. Later on, I got pretty heavy into Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend. When I get loaded and do the acoustic session, I still play all the Buddy Holly songs. C.C. Deville was another guy that blew my mind when I was first starting out.

As a self taught guitarist, looking back, would you say taking lessons would be a better way to go, for a kid starting out on guitar?
I don’t know about that. I would say to a kid starting out, “If you want to get really good on the guitar, you should go down to the Crossroads and make a deal with the devil. Make sure that it’s really what you want to do though, because once you sign the contract....”

Tell me about the Neon Nights album coming out this month.
It shreds, and we’re really proud of it. We recorded it last summer at Foundry Studios with PF1. We finally found someone to put it out for us, called Rockin Stan Records. The album has got a lot of variety. We’ve got some glorious rock anthems, some punk rock thrashers, and we do a really heavy, kind of stoner-rock version of Bob Dylan’s Masters of War. The drums are huge, the bass and guitar tones are bad-ass, and it’s got a ton of hooks.

It doesn’t sound like anyone else’s record. We’re also halfway done writing our next one. We had only been a band for a few months before we recorded the new album, so it’s got a kind of “fire” to it. It’s really in your face, as if we’re saying, “check us out, we’re new, we’re bad-ass, and we’re going to destroy everything in our path”. The album is rad and we love it.

Why is Neon Nights a Trio? How did you three musicians end up in a band together, and would you ever consider adding a second guitarist or a keyboardist?
I like three piece rock bands the most. Most of my favorite bands have been just three pieces, or three pieces and a singer. It’s better because you can hear all the details that are going on with the drums, the bass and rhythm guitar parts.

It’s cool, because Matt and Jeff have been playing together for about 10 years, so you know it’s a seriously tight rhythm section. It also helps that Matt is an awesome bassist. He’s kind of like John Entwistle mixed with Michael Anthony. Sometimes he’ll play a lot of bass runs, and sometimes he’ll just lie back, and lock in really tight with Jeff, playing a kind of a kind of percussive bass style. Also, he uses a really crunchy, fuzzed out bass tone.

What kind of guitar gear do you use exactly?
Lou: I have a ‘91 Epiphone Les Paul Custom with 2TEK bridge (that’s right an Epiphone) and an ‘85 Fender Japan Strat with a Humbucker. My guitars each cost me 500 bucks. I’ll never pay more than 500 dollars for a guitar. You’d have to be a sucker to pay more than that. I play through an old mesa/boogie .50 caliber head. It rules ass over anybody’s vintage Marshall. Suck it!

Your song Born to die Hard contains the following lyrics: “You can take that text book cool and leave. You’re walking’ tall now, but you’re a dying breed”. What do they mean?
The line you’re referring to is kind of a little shot at all the posers that spend more time trying to look like rock n’ rollers instead of actually learnin’ how to rock. There’s a lot of that going around these days. I’m glad you asked me this question, because I wanted to explain this song. I wrote that song after my band before Neon Nights broke up and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I felt like I was going to quit playing music because I was so bummed out. When you work hella hard on something and it falls apart, it’s frustrating. One day, I decided that no matter how hard it would be, I was going to start a new band, because I’m a die hard rock n’ roller and that’s what I do.

Born to Die Hard is also kind of a tribute to Bruce Springsteen, because I was listening to Born to Run and Darkness non-stop at the time. For me, listening to The Boss is like going to church.

You’re the first musician I have ever interviewed who cites Bruce Springsteen as an influence. What exactly do you mean listening to Springsteen is like “going to church?”
We’re way into The Boss. We cover one of his songs, Light of Day, on our CD. Come on man, do I really have to explain that? The Boss rules and Steve Van Zandt is also the man.

Springsteen is a huge influence on our sound. I’ve spent more hours listening to him than just about any other artist. Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen, and Pete Townsend are my all time top three guys. I don’t know if people would pick that up from listening to Neon Nights.

I probably couldn’t if I didn’t know any better. It’s not real obvious, because we have our own sound. If there was another band that sounded like us, we would be huge fans, because we’re our own biggest fans. You have to be, otherwise why play? That’s why we play so many shows. We love it! Our band rules! Now everyone will think we’re arrogant, but you know what? There’s no room for humility in Rock n’ Roll.