While Mary McKane and fiance Russ Calderwood each are busy with their respective bands, Outer Minds and Radar Eyes, they still find time to be creative together — something that singer/organist McKane says is the foundation of their partnership.
The Runnies came together four years ago with drummer Brett Swinney, and has been more of a side project than a serious pursuit (“We’re lazy,” says McKane). The trio released a smattering of songs last year for online label Candy Dinner, and the band’s just-for-fun impetus bleeds through — The Runnies’ infectious energy propels their songs. We talked to McKane about the band, beginnings and organs.
Q: How did The Runnies start?
A: I had never had a band before. I heard (’60s garage rock compilation) Nuggets and I decided to buy a Farfisa organ. I had studied music and played piano when I was younger. I told Russ we had to start a band (laughs). He had been in bands forever.
Q: Why a Farfisa? It has such a distinct sound, a lot of people think it’s got a spooky sort of fun-house or circus sound.
A: I just thought it was awesome. I never had heard it used on contemporary, modern recordings or in bands. Russ is kind of a vintage gear nerd and so he suggested I buy it. It took a little finessing, getting the right speaker for it so it didn’t sound too honky (laughs). But it’s got that classic late-’60s organ sound — that, I really like.
Q: Having never been in a band before — did you have
to learn how to write
songs?
A: Yeah. I had never written a song before! It was a crapshoot. We started by learning a bunch of covers so I could understand, or get a sense of what was happening versus what I thought — just the mechanics of playing. Then it was writing a whole lot of crappy lyrics (laughs). Then the first round of sounds — well, there was a lot of screaming (laughs) because I had never sung. Russ was busy so I would write songs and it fell on me to write the songs. He had been in a bunch of bands before and so he had a better ear for arranging and what worked and what didn’t. Plus it helped that he wasn’t attached to the song like I was so, he could come in and say “that’s pretty good” or tell us it was time to be done with a song and move on.
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Q: How is it being engaged to someone you are also in a band with?
A: Hard. And awesome. In the beginning I was just trying to figure out how to be in a band, how does it work and one of the things I had to learn was how to not take things personally — like when Russ would suggest we change something a little. I had a hard time accepting that the songs weren’t perfect as is (laughs). At this point, now, we play together at home a lot. He is in Radar Eyes and I am in Outer Minds, but then, also we get to have a band together. This band and making music is one of the many things we have in common. When we were first together, we realized our tastes were really simpatico. Russ does a lot of art stuff, we print calendars together every year — we are fueled by being creative together. I know some people like to keep that all outside
them as a couple, and just, like, go on dates or whatever. I mean,
we go on dates sometimes (laughs) but we are really happy how it is, just making things together.
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When: 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Township, 2200 N. California Ave.
Tickets: $5 (21+); mpshows.com