We caught up with The Main Squeeze immediately upon their arrival at Equifunk. The heavy traffic they experienced did not seem to sour their mood and we were greeted with a sincerity and kindness typically reserved for old friends. Getting to know Corey, Reuben, Jeremiah, Max, and Smiley prior to their performances was a real treat and left us eager to catch their two scheduled sets!
Can you tell us a bit about your musical backgrounds? How did you all find each other?
Smiley- Music background personally, I started playing classical piano when I was eight years old. Funk, soul, rock music when I was a freshman in high school and that’s when I really started playing with keyboard and rock music. Actually, I have been playing ever since I knew Max, and he can give you his personal background.
Max- I also started out also classical, but on cello, it was my first instrument. I played the cello for many years before I ever picked up a guitar. My dad was a guitar player, he was always playing Beatles records, that’s kinda what I grew up on. Once I got into guitar, it was all about blues and classic rock and stuff like that. My dad kinda got me into funk and stuff later. Smiley and I met at a camp very similar to the camp we are at right now- it was a primarily Jewish sports camp, seven weeks sleep away, returning staff every year- like a big family. [Smiley] started playing music very young, and I started pretty young also. We met at the camp and started playing and then when we both became counselors there. [Smiley] started the first music program there, and he brought me on, like “Be my co-counselor” and we started it there and that’s where the musical vibes sorta started, with us two.
Smiley- With us two, but also with The Main Squeeze, because once that started I went to IEU. We moved to Indiana, Indiana University. I started there in 2006, studied business, but music was always what I wanted to do, business was kind of a backup plan. After the first year, Max came to visit and he eventually tried out for the music school and got in for cello. We both knew that if he came we would try to start a band there. So once Max got in, during his freshman year, we started The Main Squeeze pretty much with some other musicians- a drummer, a bass player, and another singer that we had. Then, shortly after we got a new drummer- Reuben, who’s our drummer now, after about a month or so. Max knew Reuben from the dorm because he was a music school student. So that’s how Max and Reuben met. I met Cory quite randomly during my freshman year of college at one of the biggest bars in Bloomington. I was only a freshman, so I was definitely underage. He was there, and I was there and we were both like kinda drunk, just chilling. I didn’t meet him there, we met because there was a dueling piano bar that night and when the people who were playing got off to take a drink break, I just hopped on the piano and simultaneously he hopped up on the mic. I didn’t know who he was. After that we were like, “That was cool, we had fun.” We exchanged telephone numbers. After that, I hadn’t heard from him in three years, or maybe it was two years. Max went on a ship to perform, a cruise ship. He had a contract on the cruise ship and when he came back we were in the process of finding a lead singer, and that’s how we found him. And then the bass player we added about a year, a little more than a year ago, Jeremiah, because Reuben knew him.
Max- And everybody has really different backgrounds, there’s intersections everywhere. Like Corey sings R&B, soul, and pop from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today. He can sing you any R&B from the 80s or 90s, word for word. Jeremiah’s really a jazz bass player, but has also done corporate gigs, top 40 and punk and all that stuff, hard rock, prog rock.
How was your journey to success? Would you describe the experience as a whirlwind?
Max- I wouldn’t really describe it as whirlwind because it hasn’t been people approaching us. It was really us putting the work in and contacting people during the first few years and putting work in to get ourselves out there. Now…
Representative for The Main Squeeze- (laughs) first few years? You’ve only been together for a few years, people reading this are going to think you’re in your 70s!
Max- I would say three years like that. Corey came into the group three years ago, maybe three and a half. Now, we have this great manager and this great booking agent and there are a lot of opportunities coming out of that. But really it’s just been a lot of fun and just great to be able to spread what we do to a lot of people.
What was your experience winning a battle of the bands in Macau, China? How was the music scene?
Max- That was awesome, mostly because it was in China so it was a new experience for us. It’s kinda weird because Macau is like the Vegas of Asia, so it’s people from all over, not specific to one culture. It’s a lot of foreign musicians that are there. Jeremiah, our bass player, actually worked there for 18 months in a hotel. He’s been there, he can tell you more about it.
Jeremiah- I’d say it’s the Vegas of China. It’s a three hour ride from Hong Kong. The music scene is surprisingly, well a lot of musicians come there who are very good and they make a lot of pop bands.
Corey- They were also very receptive… to new music. It was something that people really notice. We performed the first day, part of a group of six, and then again as a group of six the next day, and then a finals of six. We had time to be a part of it from the artist’s perspective, but also to watch other bands perform. Everyone was receptive to new music, they’re really appreciative of it. It was a fun market to be in.
Smiley- They had never heard anything like us before, especially because of the jazz and blues combination.
Corey- They’ve asked us back, they had such a good time with us, even winning, that they’ve asked us back. We’re still in the works of getting it done but we’re going to go back as the Winners from last year just to showcase a person that’s actually participated in the competition.
You were also were selected by Rolling Stones Magazine to open for The Roots and Jane’s Addiction at the Super Bowl, how was that?
Corey- Awesome, I’m from Indianapolis so for me it was like a dream come true, outside of my Colts not being in the Super Bowl. The Patriots lost and the Giants won, and I’m okay with that cause I’m a Manning fan! It was really good for us because it was one of those things that took us to the next level. Any time you hear something like that, “Oh you’re opening for The Roots and Jane’s Addiction.” It’s just one of those things that got people talking a little bit more and that’s always good. It’s always a good thing. I’ll never forget it.
Max- I had Mono.
Corey- He had mono, so he’ll probably forget a lot of it (laughs).
Max- It was really crazy, really crazy.
Corey- Amazing experience, we met Quest. Also met the guys from Jane’s addiction. Reuben played Questlove’s drums because we were opening up for him.
(Everyone excitedly chimes in about meeting celebrity foodie Guy Fiere)
What is your ideal venue?
(Everyone chimes in about enjoying festivals and aspirations to play Red Rocks)
Smiley- Every venue is different so I would never just say “I would want to do this all the time because this is the best.” Outdoors is great, indoors is really great, daytime is great, nighttime is great. They’re all different kinds of sets.
Corey- And we’re a band that works well in all of those situations, too.
Smiley- Especially with the Equifunk scene, because the first year we played here we did a pool set and that was the only set we had and it was an epic day pool party. After that set, we were like, “We’re never playing another set of music unless it’s at a pool” because it was so perfect, it was a perfect match. Then last year, we did another pool set, but then we did a late night show from 4 am to 6 am, till the sun rose.
This year we’re doing both. We’re doing a pool set on Sunday and then tonight we’re doing an 8:30 to 9:30 set. They’re definitely different sets, and we’re not going to repeat any songs. Two different vibes in the set lists, they’re pretty much tailored towards the scene, like a day party versus a late night rager.
Corey- We want people to have fun, that’s our favorite set. It’s about feeling good, you want to smile, you want to dance, you might sweat a little bit. I’m up there sweating, so you should want to sweat with me.
Smiley- It might change your life.
Chatting with The Main Squeeze was a great experience, but one question was left unanswered. We would have to see for ourselves what getting “freshly squozen” meant. After catching The Main Squeeze please and squeeze Equifunk on Friday night at the main stage and then again on Sunday afternoon at the pool party, we had a thorough answer. Their high energy, positive attitude, and musical abilities should put them at the top of any music enthusiast’s “must see” list. They are currently working on an album with producer Randy Jackson. With one Chicago and one L.A. recording session completed at the time of the interview, the band revealed that they’ve narrowed what began as a list of 20 songs down to 7 tracks, with the intention of having the album out this fall. The Main Squeeze couldn’t stress enough what a pleasure it’s been for them to work with Jackson and this meeting of musical minds is sure to please! As wonderful as The Main Squeeze’s music was the positive feedback that their friends in attendance shared about their character. We are excited to see The Main Squeeze’s well-deserved success continue!
Interview by Mia Jester
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