Everest Use Neil Young Connection

Los Angeles folk rockers Everest have gone from being merely the latest musical collaboration of L.A. music scene veterans to opening for rock icon Neil Young on his Canadian tour in two years. Their Ghost Notes debut album was released in May on Young's Vapor Records label.

"The first time I met Neil was in his kitchen," recalls lead vocalist/guitarist Russell Pollard. "He invited the band to play the Bridge School benefit [an annual charity concert in Mountain View, Calif. held by Neil and his wife Pegi], and we were invited to his house for dinner the night before.

"The only thing he said about being on his label is that he didn't expect hit songs or massive sales, and they're not the kind of label that will drop you if you're not selling. It was an epic moment for me to hear that from Neil, and it being the first time we met."

Pollard was formerly a member of Sebadoh and Folk Implosion. He and the other members of Everest — guitarists/keyboardists Jason Soda and Joel Graves, and touring members Elijah Thomas on bass and Davey Latter on drums — had been working on numerous side projects in L.A. before they finally decided to concentrate on Everest full-time. They recorded the earthy and folky Ghost Notes in two weeks entirely on analogue tape and with the band members performing together in the same room.

"We took our time with it," says Pollard. "But we didn't get too precious about it.

"Not a lot of takes or overdubbing. That's just how the band sounds, and we wanted the record to reflect that."

Ghost Notes was Pollard's first attempt at being a group's principal songwriter, a process he says felt fresh after he'd been involved in so many other musical projects in the past. After the initial jam session, he and the other members knew they had a winning formula, which included Pollard making the transition from backing musician to frontman.

"It's a role I'm evolving with right now, and I'm being patient with myself, figuring it out as I go," he says. "It was exciting to have a body of work that might end up on a record."

Although Pollard spent seven years living in Kentucky, Everest's laid-back acoustic southern folk vibes and organic recording methods wouldn't seem to befit a band of southern Californians.

"I think people who aren't from [Los Angeles] tend to not have a clear impression of what it's like," says Pollard. "They either love it or hate it.

"We get a lot of support at home, even if we don't necessarily fit in with our music. With the kind of music we play and the type of approachable guys we are, I think some people might be surprised we're from there."

You can see Everest with Young and Wilco here:

Nov. 29 Halifax, NS @ Halifax Metro Centre
Dec. 1 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Dec. 2 Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Dec. 4-5 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre