Our Conversation with Mint Condition! | May 2011
Mint Condition
MINT CONDITION: What’s up?! (applause)
TERRILL: Did you guys hear that applause?
MINT CONDITION: Aww yeah, man!
TERRILL: Alright now! You guys chillin’ out there in Minneapolis?
STOKLEY: Yes, sir! It’s getting a little warmer, though.
TERRILL: So it’s not the chill factor anymore?
STOKLEY: Why do you have to say chill and rub it in?
TERRILL: (laughter) Well, either way, you guys know how to do it no matter what temperature it is. So… welcome aboard. Talk to us man about Mint Condition’s new Caged Bird/Shanachie recording, 7 - the 7th release of your discography with eleven new tracks. The lead single, “Caught My Eye,” is already out there making noise.
STOKLEY: Beautiful, man. We have been performing it since last year and that’s one of the reasons why we put it on the album. It got such a great response which is kind of a tradition for us. Take a song like “Breaking My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).” That’s an old song we used to play before it was even recorded. The response to “Caught My Eye” is pretty much the same. It just continued the whole trend and is getting a really great reaction. We have a live performance video coming. Hopefully after that we will have a second single/video, determined by what the crowd says.
TERRILL: “Caught My Eye” does carry over the vibe of “Pretty Brown Eyes” and a lot of other slow jams in your collection. Is this something your audience identifies with or is it just what you guys love to do?
STOKLEY: Number one it’s accessible. We like songs that are not only accessible, they’re real. That way we tap into a lot of people’s spirit. It’s either about what you go through, what you have gone through or you want to go through. And sometimes we like to ask questions – tap into what people are thinking. How many times have you seen somebody and they bring you to a pause, like, “Wow?” Plus, it’s got some cute things in the words that are real endearing to the ladies. Simplicity speaks volumes.
TERRILL: Yes.
RICK KINCHEN: …and if you got a woman, then you just keep on walking!
TERRILL: Right on. The music you guys put together transcends over time. “Caught My Eye” has lyrics that are easy to catch onto, but that’s true of your material in general. Every track on all your CDs carries quality lyrics.
MINT CONDITION: Yeah, we like to think so. Thank you.
TERRILL: I mean, let’s get straight to it. Today’s R&B kind of misses that…and I think I’m being “kind of” friendly when I say kind of!
MINT CONDITION: Right, right!
TERRILL: It could be a slow jam, a mid-tempo groove or all-out rock joint - your lyrics shine: always high quality. How do you guys put that all together?
RICK: It can happen a lot of different ways. We might create a track in rehearsal or in the studio. For “Can’t Get Away” I came over to Stoke’s crib – I had a bass line and a beat – “clack, clack, clack” - then Stoke came with the keyboard part (sings the line) and I added a melody. “All my friends keep telling me…” It just built from there. When you’re up on these tracks, it’s like magic, man. Every time we get together, the music just goes to a whole other level.
TERRILL: Sounds like you guys are not only doing this because it puts dollars in the bank, you guys are having a lot of fun.
MINT CONDITION: Absolutely.
TERRILL: I’ve seen you guys live in concert - don’t even let me get started on that – and there’s a lot of energy that comes through in your music. But here’s one thing that I am going to throw at you. You brought Kelly Price aboard on this CD for the duet with Stokely, “Not My Daddy”. How did that endeavor come across?
MINT CONDITION: First of all, a little back story. We met in `95 in Buffalo, New York. She was doing a song called “Hookin’ Me Up” with a cat called All Star. This cat was rapping and producing, and Kelly did the lyrics. She was a big fan of the group and was already singing background for other R&B artists and doing all this writing for people when she was young. Fast forward to now, the industry is really small. You work with a lot of different people on tours, in different cities and in the studio. “I want to work with you” and they want to work with you - that kind of feeling was being exchanged. So, now, here it is, she’s got a label with Warryn Campbell, a producer for a lot of big name artists. They hit a Mint Condition chord…pretty much just sent us some piano chords and a vocal. I was like, “Wow, this is pretty incredible. It feels like us.” I emailed it to everybody and we laid it out - just did what we do - and now it’s doing what it’s doing. It’s, like, at #9 right now.
TERRILL: And it’s going to continue to climb, no doubt. We’re getting a lot of comments on The Urban Music Scene site about “Caught My Eye.” It’s refreshing to have two incredible singers like you, Stokley, and Kelly Price coming together.
STOKLEY: Kelly is incredible, one of my favorites. She’s got a lot of power - enough said. I’m definitely honored to be next to her singing like that.
TERRILL: We pray that song goes all the way to #1, Billboard makes some noise and the people make even more noise. I’m going to switch up the angle a bit now. You have a track called “Bossalude” that you did, based on fans requesting you guys do an instrumental.
JEFF: No real story behind that. Earlier on we did quite a few interludes. We’re always approached by people saying they wish those could have been longer or whole songs. So we have a history of doing instrumentals. This is no different other than it’s just a little longer than usual.
TERRILL: That’s cool. It just goes to show that your fans pay attention. In fact, I pay close attention myself, which leads to my personal question. Have you guys thought about doing an all-out jazz album?
MINT CONDITION: We’ve talked about albums of all-out EVERYTHING! (laughter) We’ve got so much in us. This is not the first time we’ve been asked that either. We’ve contemplated a rock album, a jazz album, an all-instrumental album, or taking all of our interludes and putting them on one project. There are so many different avenues we could take and, at some point, we probably will.
MINT CONDITION: A lot more amplified! That’s what it’s all about – really keep yourmusic out there…exploiting yourself to a point where the masses know you.
TERRILL: We don’t have any more R&B bands out there. You guys actually are the only guys left.
MINT CONDITION: That’s sad, you know. It really is. Hopefully that will turn around. We are trying to keep the flame lit and do our part to inspire people. Younger musicians who want to play instruments, be in this industry and know how it is – a long fight, a hard fight. It’s not a sprint, it’s definitely a marathon. We’re trying to move this success in many different areas. This didn’t come with financial gain. Some people need to know that it is what you put into it; it’s a challenge but life is a challenge. So keep on moving you know. Get to the next level.
TERRILL: You would think that after all this time - and reality TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol” – someone would come up with the genius idea to start a reality show to find “The Next GREAT R&B Band.”
STOKLEY: They’ve tried haven’t done it right yet. And when they do, will it be honest or driven by money and that kind of thing. Our thing is driven by Music. Until you get somebody who really understands that, then it’s going to be the same old thing...
TERRILL: Have you been approached with that idea by any chance? You guys should be the ambassadors of that!
STOKLEY: I have been talking to some people about creating some kind of thing – more of an educational thing but still a reality thing, too. I am trying to get the right slant, but we have been talking about it for the last year with some folks - trying to figure out what angle we could use where people would actually want to watch. What would keep people’s attention but at the same time have some really cool musical elements. We have to think of the business side of it.
TERRILL: Yeah, I could already see the slant – the advertising and marketing behind all of that - and I can see you guys all over that as judges and producers! I hope it comes to pass. You guys are still on “Way Black When” right?
MINT CONDITION: We filmed that last year and it just ran for the month of February. It’s over right now, but they’re talking about bringing it back for a full season.
TERRILL: Folks make sure you tune into “Way Black When” on TV-One and check out Stokely back there getting down on the drums! You’re going to be touring soon to promote this 7 album?
MINT CONDITION: “MC 7!!” We’ve been out already. The way people tour now man unless you get a really big tour being financed or underwritten, we pretty much do weekends - every weekend. We just got done doing a tour with Prince - all over, every state, trying to get into every country.
TERRILL: I just might have to get my people and my sponsors together to bring
you guys to the Inland Empire.
MINT CONDITION: Boom, let’s go!
MINT CONDITION: No doubt, man. He’s definitely got his hand on it.
TERRILL: Thank you so much for your time today. Is there anything you Stokely, Jeff or Rick want to tell our fans here on the Urban Music Scene?
MINT CONDITION: Keep listening!
Take a minute folks and log-on to Mint Conditon's new website @ www.mintconditionmusic.com/
While you are there, please sign up for the Mint Condition newsletter, and please feel free to send them your ideas about what you would like to see on the site in the coming months. Check back often, as they will be adding new music, photos, videos and special Mint Condition merchandise over the next few weeks!
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