Idol Listening: Coliseum Guitarist/Vocalist Ryan Patterson’s Favorite Power Trios
This coming Tuesday, May 5, Deathwish will release Anxiety’s Kiss, the latest offering from Louisville’s Coliseum… in fact, you can now stream the entire album below, courtesy of Noisey!
To celebrate the occasion, we asked guitarist/vocalist Ryan Patterson to make us a playlist of his favorite power trios… and he obliged! Check out his playlist below. And below that, read a brief interview with Patterson about his picks. Enjoy!
What differentiates a “Power Trio” from a regular trio?
My first thought was “drums,” but if Suicide had a third member they would certainly be a “power trio,” maybe the most powerful trio of all. Who knows… “Power trio” is a silly name that some rock nerd probably came up with and probably more adequately describes some dudes that jam a lot rather than anything that I like… something like Rush. Maybe it dates back to a time when someone needed to differentiate between a rock band and a jazz trio? Maybe I should’ve come up with a better title because I’m thinking that title doesn’t really describe the kind of trios I like. New title: “Efficient Interesting Passionate Sincere Energetic Punk Influenced Guitar/Bass/Drums Trio.”
What are the advantages of being a Power Trio and not, say, a Power Quartet or Quintet?
More space in the van, more space on the floor of your friend’s living room, less arguing over stage volume, fewer plane tickets, smaller practice space, etc. Plus, singers run around and unplug your pedals and stuff. Also, no one is always standing in front of the drummer.
A lot of these groups are neither metal nor hardcore. Do you feel conscientious about incorporating elements of other genres of music into Coliseum’s sound? If yes: how so?
I am not a metal guy. I didn’t grow up listening to metal. I grew up listening to SST, Dischord, Touch & Go Slowdime, etc. I definitely love a few metal bands and I was absolutely a “hardcore kid,” although more of that late 80s/early 90s melodic, socially aware Dischord kind of hardcore. It’s a strange thing for me… Our band did one record on a label that’s mostly associated with metal and toured with some metal bands and since then it seems that there’s a small faction of people that maybe think that entirely dictated who I am or what my tastes are in music. After that record, I did feel that I’d lost the plot a bit in terms of what I was trying to do with Coliseum and where I wanted to be with music, so I guided us back toward the path closest to my heart. I don’t feel any responsibility musically other than to please myself and my bandmates. Metal is your game, I presume, not mine. If you want to talk about which Rowland S. Howard, Adrian Borland, or Sarah Kirsch record is your favorite, I’m game. Let’s meet up and discuss!
Speaking of trios: I have a friend whose theory is that no band besides Converge has ever made more than three great albums in a row without undergoing major line-up changes. Agree or disagree? Why or why not?
Is your friend sixteen and only owns Converge records? That’s funny. But an interesting thought. It’s definitely difficult to keep lineups together for more than a few records and most great bands don’t have more than a few “great records” at best. Converge is a rare band, especially in the modern era. Here’s my list of bands that made more than three great albums with the same lineup: Fugazi, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Seaweed, The Clash, The Beatles, Bauhaus, Pixies, The Jesus Lizard… There are quite a few more, I’m sure. But certainly, it’s very difficult.
NO HANSON?!?! Seriously, bruh????
Well, they aren’t a trio, but if you insist:
