Being a rock band in Los Angeles is a lot like applying to
college with a perfect SAT score. It may open some doors, but
there’s no guarantee of success.
“(Los Angeles) is a double-edge sword,” said Mark
Chipello of local group Stafford. “You’ve got every
club with five bands (a night), but there’s so many
opportunities and connections here.”
As a UCLA senior, Chipello and his bandmates Dave Ross and UCLA
graduate T.J. Stafford are certainly making the most of their own
connections. They’re playing the House of Blues on Jan. 25
and have a debut album due in March. Their first release was a
4-song EP recorded in a studio used mainly for TV soundtrack work,
giving them access to quality equipment and production.
“It was an amazing opportunity at the time to get really
good equipment and people who knew what they were doing,”
said Chipello, the drummer for Stafford.
The EP includes the aptly named “Pop Song,” a track
full of guitar work and harmonies reminiscent of another college
rock success story, Tufts University’s Guster. Whereas Guster
was able to build a large following by word of mouth, the
difficulty of “separating yourself out” is much higher
in Los Angeles.
With their first studio experience behind them, Stafford is
looking to capture the energy of their live performances and expand
their music beyond the acoustic-driven rock that litters the
airwaves.
“We’re trying to create a more ensemble
sound,” said T.J. Stafford, the band’s songwriter,
guitarist and lead singer.
Chipello agreed.
“If you listen to the new album, you can’t draw a
comparison to Jack Johnson or John Mayer,” Chipello said.
Instead of going the backing band route like the aforementioned,
each member of Stafford is a talented musician in his own right.
Chipello was a member of his high school jazz band, marching band
and percussion ensemble in addition to his years of private
lessons. Bassist Dave Ross had also discovered his chops in the
same high school jazz band, but his taste was not limited to John
Coltrane or Miles Davis.
“I was into Metallica and metal stuff. I feel much more
passionate about playing rock songs,” Chipello said.
Equally passionate about rock is the band’s namesake, T.J.
Stafford. Having played guitar since the age of five, he began
songwriting during his freshman year. When they formed in the
summer of 2002, their direction was clear. They decided to create
meaningful rock in the vein of influences like the Foo Fighters and
Dave Matthews Band.
“We make decisions purely for the sake of the
music,” Ross said.
Stafford plays the House of Blues Jan. 25 at 10 p.m. Tickets
are $20 at the door. See www.staffordrocks.com for $15 presale
tickets.