Greg and Alex Bortnichak are two New Jersey natives who have developed their own unique brand of experimental rock 'n' roll. The brothers have been performing together as The Sparta Philharmonic for over a decade now and have toured the country a few times on their own dime, booking their way from coast to coast and packing all their equipment into one medium-sized SUV (at one point it was a mid-sized station wagon). It's hard not to admire the dedication these two brothers have for their craft. They have done things DIY since they first formed, driven not by any strong desire for wide-scale success and popularity, but rather an undying, immense passion for the music -- and a love for each other. Their music is formed through a bond that exists only between brothers who make music for themselves, first and foremost. You'd be hard pressed to find two men so invested in what they do and so passionate about expressing themselves through music.
I had the chance to sit down and chat with Greg and Alex a few weeks back just as they had kicked off their summer tour in support of their new album, (trans)migratory birds. We discussed the band's beginnings, their intense live performances, the significance of the new album title, the transcendence between life and death, and much more.
Interview by Quinn S.
Below is the second part of my conversation with The Sparta Philharmonic. To read part one, click here.
MM: So how does the title (trans)migratory birds factor into everything? What is the significance of the title?
A & G: [Laughs]
G: Well the title is kind of hard to explain. I picked the bird metaphor because it’s interesting to me that there are creatures in this world that basically make a home out of many places. They’re constantly in transit. They’re never just in one place. And there’s also sort of the metaphor of flight and everything.
But, they’re cool with all of that – that’s their life. They’re in motion. They probably spend most of their life in flight, and that’s a thing in everyday life that sort of embodies multiplicity. I guess I also thought it would be interesting to fuck with the word a little bit. Adding the “trans” in parentheses was an homage to primal unity, and also to transmigration of the soul. It also had a little bit to do with reincarnation, but mostly it had to with the idea that, like migratory birds, people – and the souls of people – have the ability to transcend everyday life. I would like to uncover ways to have greater access to that. I guess that’s what the music’s about: uncovering ways to get to a better level of understanding with yourself in the world, through music or whatever.
MM: Would you feel, then, that the title is autobiographical in the sense that it kind of encapsulates the past 10 years of the band – being on the road, meeting lots of people along the way?
A: Yeah, yeah.
G: Yeah, being in this band has been like being on the back of a bird, because everything that we’ve done kind of comes back to this band, strangely enough. I don’t even think we wanted it this way, it’s just the way it is. But this band has been a vehicle for us to do everything that I’ve wanted to do, and go all the places that I’ve wanted to go. It’s been the vehicle for making the most lasting relationships in my life. So, it’s certainly been a very transformative and transcendent experience being in The Sparta Philharmonic.
MM: I was talking to you, Greg, last night and you were telling me you change your guitar strings every night before a show, for each of your guitars. And Alex, you have to set up your drums every night in small venues, and you soundcheck to make sure everything is set up right. You guys do all your own tech work and book tours yourself. With the amount of work that goes into a tour, especially since it’s DIY, what drives you guys to keep doing this? Obviously, you’re passionate about it, but what is it that keeps you guys going after 10 years?
A: The money.
G: [Laughs] Oh man! Yeah, clearly.
A: I mean there’s a certain adrenaline rush associated with it. I also have my pilot’s license and being a pilot is something I want to pursue careerwise. So, I get off with traveling in general; the idea of being in more than one place in a given day. The traveling, meeting people – all that stuff, I think, adds to the excitement around it. It’s also exciting to have people like your stuff, too, and it’s very flattering. It’s also very cathartic to get onstage. Depending on how you’re feeling, maybe you play something differently or try for something new. Every night is different. You can really get out quite a bit of emotion when you’re playing and sweating. I don’t ever expect anyone to like it. First of all, we play for ourselves. If somebody likes it, it’s even cooler.
G: I was going to say my reasons are a little more desperate. I tried doing other things. I tried taking the academic route, which I found to be really, really, really fulfilling. And I tried working a day job – many day jobs – but I just got fucking down.
MM: Yeah, unfulfilling.
G: Yeah, just There’s got to be more to life than this. You know?
I was sitting in a bar in Baltimore with Jonathan Badger and I’m all high-strung. He says to me, “Look, I’m going to get you a whiskey and we’re going to sip it and we’re going to talk and it’s going to be cool.” So, we’re sipping this whiskey and I said, “I don’t know what to do. I’m out of college and nothing interests me. There’s not a single thing I’m excited about doing.” And he said, “Look, why don’t you just try the music? Why don’t you just give it a shot?”
It never occurred to me then because music had always been something that we did because we loved it. But then it was like, “Yeah, why not?” Just take every gig that’s offered to you and really do everything you can to be a working musician. That’s when we built the studio and made up our minds to record the record. And now three years later, it’s done and the tour is booked. So, I’m doing what I want to do, and everything feels clearer after doing that – after putting my mind to it and making it happen. No matter what happens from it, I’m sure it’s not like we’re going to become the next Strokes or something like that. But I think it’s something that I do out of self-love and love for Alex, and I hope to keep doing it because it’s what I enjoy doing the most out of everything I’ve been introduced to in this world so far.
A: Yeah, I feel torn in certain ways. I do have a lot of passions, and one of those is aviation – something I do plan on pursuing professionally. So, there’s a lot of associative guilty with the band at times that will hopefully work itself out in some way.
G: Alex is thinking he’s probably going to go to flight school and then probably just start flying. So, I guess we’ll have to tour around his school plans or whatever.
A: Yeah, it wouldn’t be so much that. I’ve had my license since I was 18 or so. I just have to finish up certain ratings in order to be hired. I’m also about to finish up college, so I’m excited about that.
MM: How important is the DIY approach and aesthetic to you guys? Would you ever considering signing with a label?
A: I think it shapes a lot of our image. I think people really admire the handmade stuff. On the other side, it’s very difficult to make it; it takes time. But I think, in the long run, you’re better off for it. Am I opposed to having some company make it? No, sure.
G: I guess the only thing is that with the way we have our hands in everything, there’s a lot of attention given to detail and we can really make sure that everything comes out the way we want it to. And that’s the cool thing about DIY.
But I feel the problem with it is that it doesn’t leave too much room for anything else. Getting ready for this tour has probably been the hardest thing we’ve ever done. But if the right label came at us and we were in line with them ideologically and stuff, I definitely think it would be cool if they were offering us things that we did not have access to.
MM: Alex, I know you intend on pursuing a career in aviation as a pilot, but let’s think hypothetically. Let’s just say you were making enough money from this band to do it full-time. Would you guys pursue it?
A: It’s a tough question. I probably don’t have an answer for it. As of now, I have a plan for myself. It all depends.
G: Well, I also think it would be kind of taxing to do it full-time. It’s cool that we made a record and now we’re doing a tour. Hopefully, we’ll get in a couple of one-offs and maybe another tour in support of this album. But then, after that you kind of need time to recoup anyway to write, live life and have something interesting to say for the next record.
But I’m hoping that if a really great opportunity came up we could take it, revisit this. For the most part, everything that’s happening right now is sort of something that we planned on being a one-time thing. But you know, I’m sure with the right opportunity we would do our best to take it if it were possible.
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My thanks to Alex and Greg Bortnichak, The Sparta Philharmonic.
The band's new album and labor of love, (trans)migratory birds, will be out October 19th. Check out a song from the album below.
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