Band of the Week: Haley Bonar

"They all hate you tomorrow when no one buys your single"

Last summer, Haley Bonar instantly filled my office with the sounds of the honest Midwestern experience. She sang about love, struggle, being on the verge but fearing of what might come next, she touch every chord and did it beautifully. Her album, Big Star, was full of life and beautifully delivered harmonies. She was searching for "Something Great", and as the track of Big Star progressed, it was clear she had found it.

What's noble about Haley Bonar is her confidence in the ever-growing, ever-indie hometown label Afternoon Records. Through grassroots press and distribution, Big Star has become a big hit and Haley finds herself playing with some major names. If Haley is not already a "Big Star" in her own right she soon will be, and Ian Anderson and all the hometown folks will be right by her side.

Haley is opening for Andrew Bird here in Chicago on April 9th at the Civic Opera House. Recenty, she was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

OA: You are about to hit the road with dates Andrew Bird and then Mason Jennings. You always seem to be aligning with the right musicians. How did this Spring tour come about and where is your favorite spot to tour?
HB: Well I'm just doing a few dates with Andrew Bird... We toured together a few years ago and I sang on his album "Armchair Apochrapha". Mason and I have been friends for some time now since we have done shows together on and off for about 5 years now.. I am really excited about playing the Chicago Civic Opera house with Andrew.

OA: Speaking of aligning, Big Star has been a big hit, and made it on many "Best Of" lists last year. Now that we are nearly a year into the albums release, how do you feel about "Big Star" as you look back?
HB: I am still really proud of it. I still really love performing those songs live, and hope I don't get sick of them ever!

OA: This is your second album on Afternoon Records. What has the experience been like with Afternoon? Why have you chosen to stick by your local label?
HB: Ian Anderson approached me upon the release of "Lure the fox", and has done a pretty good job with both that and "Big Star". I like having a small label right now because I can own my music and do whatever I want with it.

OA: There seems to be a huge music scene in Minnesota's right now, what are your thoughts on your local scene?
HB: It's great! Especially because I seem to run into Mpls musicians all over the country randomly... there is a lot of musical variety, and everyone seems supportive of everyone else. it's comforting.

OA: I read you also sell hand made t-shirt at your shows. Do you make those yourself? Do you find that people are interested in the hand made items as opposed to commercially produced items?
HB: Hmmm. I was doing that for a while, just to help pass the time on the road by sewing. I was just buying t-shirts in bulk and stitching or fabric gluing shapes with different patterned fabrics... people seemed to like them cause I sold them all- but I got kinda tired of doing it. Each shirt takes a lot of time do make.. maybe someday soon I'll start doing that again.

OA: What's next for Haley Bonar?
HB: Other than shows, I am just working on writing my next album. I hope to get in the studio before the year's out.

Bonus Questions:
OA: If you could sit down to coffee with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?
HB: That's a tough one. I'd have to say my mother's father, Dunc McCallum- he passed away a shortly before I was born but was a hockey player for the Pitsburg Penguins in the 1960s, then a hockey coach, then a cattle rancher. I'd like to hear his stories and his famous big laugh.

OA: What was the last great book you have read?
HB: The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. Also I am reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Listen to: Big Star (mp3)

For more information on Haley Bonar please visit her website.