• Guitarist Jay Smith once worked the soundboard for Good Charlotte at a Christian concert venue where a kid was pistol whipped with a BB gun.
• There exists a composite photograph of frontman Stephen Kilroy and drummer Erik Dean that makes the two look like an “inbred quarterback from ‘Varsity Blues.’”
• Bassist Ian Glinka is frequently razzed by his bandmates for an admiration of Genesis that seemingly has the MDR bassist synchronizing his heartbeat to Phil Collins’s drums. Though, Glinka’s appreciation is so deep he would likely counter by saying his pulse is just another weapon in Collins’s rhythmic arsenal.
• Guitarist Alan Chappelear claims to have seen all of Elijah Wood’s movies three times in theaters in hope his support will increase the band’s odds of being signed to the actor’s music label. Smith just loves Wood’s eyes.
After full disclosure of that sort, it’s hard to tell which way is up. However, glancing at the band’s recent career arc might help with that particular dilemma of orientation. The band started around 1995 when then 15-year olds Steve, Allan and Erik claim they used it as an excuse to drink Robitussin and play Zeppelin covers. Since adding Smith and Glinka in May of 2005, however, they have been raking in some high praise following the 2006 release of their album, Plane in Flames. Lauded by Paste Magazine as “on the verge of something big,” and touted by Entertainment D.C.’s Adam Simkin as having the best local album of 2006, there is clearly some musical muscle behind the seldom serious charm of Middle Distance Runner.
Likened to acts like Blur and The Strokes, Middle Distance Runner churns out a sort of garage band/emo blend that sometimes reminds of Jet, and at others, recalls Radiohead … before Thom Yorke began his recent kick of re-mixing Atari games. It’s a mix that might just make Middle Distance Runner the best indie sound the District has to offer, and one that’s being lapped up outside of this country’s borders as well. After finishing second in a recent international song competition with their garage-punk track “Man of the People,” the band claims that tune to be “the second best song in the world.”
However, that humorous hubris is kept in check by some of their efforts to simply promote themselves locally, where they’re still just trying to plant their flag. For instance, Chappelear recalls a night spent outside of 9:30 Club following a Wilco show trying to hand out free sample CDs of their work to fans exiting the show.
“This guy just looks at me and goes, ‘Yeeeaaaah, that’s not going to happen …’”
The band will get the chance to win some hearts and minds when they play April 20 at IOTA Club and Café as part of the upcoming Six Points Music Festival. That show will likely serve as one of the opening stages of a broader campaign the band hopes can ultimately take them to Los Angeles where they have received some interest. The effort also aims to include a re-issue of their debut LP, Plane in Flames, with some additional new tracks.
All of this is part of a more professional promotional campaign organized by recently hired band manager J.D. Klipper. Until now, the band’s admittedly amateur attempts to promote themselves have often gone unappreciated. In order to capture the attention of potential record execs and music publications, Glinka was including half-used packs of gum with the demos. He has since upgraded to scratch-off lottery tickets.
“J.D. has done stuff that we’ve already failed at,” Glinka says, serious for once and concluding with their aforementioned newfound plan of attack.
With that businesslike exchange capping a string of stories on the band’s fairly frivolous (though determined) recent past, and their inundation of eclectic tales, I’m less distraught about getting a handle on the men of Middle Distance Runner. Perhaps what just happened isn’t the important part. It’s what’s to come that will really be interesting.
• For more on Middle Distance Runner, visit www.middledistancerunner.com.