Austen Malone pays tribute to the past
Melissa Cowan
Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: Culture
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However, he is a musician and junior at UMKC, majoring in Urban Design and Development.
Malone first picked up a guitar when he was 13. His step-dad was a musician.
"He'd always be jammin' out on the acoustic guitar, playing some blues," Malone said. "And I just always loved to listen to it."
Malone said it was the "emotional vibe and energy" that really drew him into music.
Since then, he has been in various bands. He's currently the guitarist and singer for The Yellow Walrus, "a nonsense name" of random combinations.
"It has turned into this mysterious kind of creature," Malone said. "It kind of represents the elephant in the room - if you ever see a yellow walrus walking down the street, you can't ignore that."
Malone was born and raised in Kansas. He moved to Seattle after graduating high school, but continued band practice via the Internet with Alex Chapman (bass), who was still living in Kansas. At the time, their band name was In Motion. Evan Stein (drums) joined In Motion two weeks before they recorded their album, Chasing Thoughts.
"I was in Seattle, playing songs, recording them on YouTube, sending them to [the others], and that's how we practiced," Malone said. "It was amazing."
In Motion became The Yellow Walrus, and the three members met Daniel Bowersox (keys and guitar) in March 2009 while they were recording Sunflowers. Bowersox was an audio technician.
"I heard him just doodling on the piano, just playing random stuff," Malone said.
Malone then asked him to join (Bowersox is not on Sunflowers; the keyboard parts were already recorded). Malone also moved back to Kansas.
The band has developed a strong pride for their home state, displaying the Kansas Flag at their shows, in the last track on the album ("Kansas Sky") and, of course, the album title.
Sunflowers was recorded live in four sessions, over about four days of recording.
"We really wanted to do it live," Malone said. "I think you get such a more soulful feeling when you record albums live. … Listen to albums made in the '60s and '70s - that's how they did it. And you get that feel, because there is some impurity and almost raw or vulnerable, real organic sound to it."
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