Sitting down with the boys from Reed, I could tell that they were cool very talented down to earth cats. They were quick to compliment their lead singer Reed in regards to his songwriting and his passion for the music. Reed (the band) consists of four classical and jazz trained musicians led by the rock and roller Reed. They all make good money doing studio gigs but feel that the sound behind this band is worth playing for nothing. This is what a band is supposed to be. About the music.

I know you have changed names a couple times. Are you still working on the name or is REED the final cut?

Reed: Just variations of my name somewhere since it started off as my project. I am Reed Allen Hutchinson. So we are trying to figure that out. Some labels we are talking to are giving their option on the name also.

What labels are you talking to?

Reed: A new independent label from Seattle and then Sanctuary is one that No Doubt is on and Black Sabbath.

So tell me how it all started.

Reed: I started with more rock kinda bluesy kinda stuff with my cello player Aaron.  We have always wanted to do this acoustic thing. So we might as well go straight into a rock band that is predominately acoustic instruments. Most acoustic rock bands are all sunshine and bubblegum. Makes you think of more Unicorns. But you know because I played metal stuff for a long time that hearing electric guitars busting out the riff is not interesting at all but if we have string sections doing the same riff it sounds killer. So Aaron and I started building the band from that. So then I found these cats.

So that's where these cats can chime in.

Trevor: I'm Trevor and I play violin and piano. Aaron invited me to come play and right away it seemed real great. These songs incorporate the textures of the violin or the cello. We do a lot of work with textures on what Reed is doing. So that's when I started playing.

Reed: The funny thing is that the other players are more jazz and classical trained guys and I am just the rock guy and it's my band. (Laughs) So it's like the blind are leading the not blind.

Who would you say influence your writing?

Trevor: I don't know how much of my listening influences make there way into this band. I grew up listening to classical music and played jazz through most of my young life. I can't really pick out a hand full of records that I think this is what we sound like. We are all coming from so many different directions. If I was going to pick out a band that I totally think are awesome that I think we are similar to I would say ELO and the Beatles but more scripted down. Not as operatic as ELO.

(Aaron walks in the room) I am glad you could make it Aaron. Perfect timing as my next questions goes to you and Reed. I have read that you have played in a few other rock bands around the Seattle area.

Aaron: I played in this band called Sprit Device. Then I met up with Reed and I was doing both bands for awhile until I just got overloaded. Spirit Device was done and I stuck with Reed because my heart was in it and the music was so much better.

Reed: I played in a band early on when I was like 17 called Feast. It was an old school Seattle band. One of the top bands of Seattle. Both Alice in Chains and Soundgarden noted them as one of their influences. We always had a little problem with our singer. We had some interest from some labels but that kinda fell through.

Tell me about your trip to Paris.

Reed: I went over there by myself to just play on the streets and met some people that used to work at Virgin Records International and they were like, "You sound great. Do you have a show?" and I was like no I am just playing in the streets of Paris, just living my dreams. I always wanted to play Paris before I die. I had a club owner come up to me and offered me a show. So I went to play at the club and invited the folks from Virgin and they were like, "You're great. You should come back." So we saved our money and went back and played a showcase. The showcase was really great.

You just spent the month of October in Paris playing also.

Reed: Yeah, one show was at House of Live. I love Paris. I would love to live there. There is something out being in Europe that is incredible. I feel like that is my home. I feel like it is a place I would like to make my home someday. Most of the music I listen to is from over there. Everything European.

What would you like people to get out of your live shows?

Aaron: How the chord structures can really snake around and just have so much interest and be really engaging. A lot of variety in the songs for sure. Stuff that just whispers to just stuff that's an outburst. This unleashing of emotion.

What local bands do you think would be great to play with that would compliment your sound?

Aaron: There are a lot of local bands that we would blend well with. The Decemberists. They seem like a good fit. Death Cab For Cutie.

Reed: Rob Benson of Dear John Letters. Rob knocked on our door at our practice space and said "you guys totally rule. What's your name? Who are you?" I didn't know who he was at the time. He is a super super sweat guy.