Oberlin Review (Oberlin, OH), May 6, 1994
Campus Bands by Ian Kane
Package from Sally: Elvis, Satan, maltballs included
When I first sat down with seven of the eight members of Package from Sally on Tuesday, I noticed an unmistakable glow about them. When the eighth member finally arrived, they all became downright giddy. You see, the band prerequisite of being able to consistently coordinate schedules to rehearse has not necessarily been met by the Package. However, the challenge is never too great for the band that wants to put the roll back in rock and roll, and I consider myself proud to have witnessed them in one of their successful efforts.
Interviewing all of Sally can be frenetic and unpredictable, something like an alarm clock in a basket full of puppies. You just have to see what happens. Package from Sally is sophomore Adam Brickman on trumpet/cowbell, junior Becca Burrington on trombone, junior Justin Hines on drums/whistle, junior Mark Litwin on violin, junior Seth Petchers on fretless bass, junior Alex Rabb on electric mandolin, junior Ben Shaykin on guitar, and junior Todd Singer on melodica and vocals.
Ian Kane: Whats your favorite part of playing in a band?
Alex Rabb: When we all show up at the same time. [laughter]
IK: Which word would you use to fill in the blank to describe the aura that is Package from Sally: Whimsical goofy or cleverly satanic?
Todd Singer: Cleverly satanic is two words.
AR: Goofily satanic.
Adam Brickman: Satanic.
AR: Cleverly goofy.
Mark Litwin: Cleverly eclectic. [oohs]
Ben Shaykin: Relentlessly goofy.
IK: Have you ever tried to pass a cover as an original?
AR: Well most of our songs are based on existent themes from other songs.
TS: Folk melodies.
AR: Oh. wait a minute. I guess thats passing off covers as originals. But at the same time, when we do a cover we make it our own.
ML: We once told people we were bigger than Jesus. [laughter]
TS: We're bigger than the Carpenters though. [laughter] Did anyone catch that pun?
AR: This is kind of what our rehearsals are like.
IK: Why did you decide to use horns, and how did you choose Becca and Adam?
AB: It was a rough audition process.
BS: We auditioned hundreds of players.
AR: Adam asked if we wanted a drummer and we said "Well do you play trumpet?" And we knew Becca played trombone so we just asked her if she wanted to play in our band. We wanted horns since the beginning but it took us a while to get around to asking them.
BS: We were shy.
TS: They're intimidating.
IK: Where does PFS get its inspiration?
Seth Petchers: Satan.
AR: Minor Threat, LL Cool J, Tracey Nelson.
Justin Hines: James Brown.
BS: A cross between Living Colour and the Cocteau Twins.
SP: Elvis.
AR: Between the eight of us we have a very broad range of musical interests. So it would be hard to list in a Review article.
BS: Honestly we are an early 80s cover band.
IK: What holds you all together?
BS: Well we signed up on the sheet at Wilder desk for rehearsal time. [laughter]
SP: We have to sell 300 tapes. [laughter]
IK: Do you like promoting your tape?
JH: We must. we do it after every single tune. [laughter]
AR: Maybe we should mention it right here. It's on sale at the Coop. only three dollars!
IK: What are you most and least proud of on your album Parcel Post?
TS: The singing I'm proud of. I think were all very proud of the singing and the work that I've done. [laughter]
JH: I'm most proud of the overall sound that was helped by our violinist Mark, who produced it.
AR: And Mark's co-engineer and co-producer [double-degree senior] Jeremy Bernstein.
IK: Mark, do you ever have a hard time having your violin heard?
ml: No, I can play just as loud as any of these bums.
SP: What kind of violin you got Mark?
ML: It’s a five-string electric.
Becca Burrington: I don't have an electric trombone though.
AR: But the power she's supplying, it's electrifying.
IK: You seem like you all get along really well. Do you ever get into any big band brawls?
TS: Well we can't have big band brawls because we're never all together in the same room at the same time.
SP: Actually, last week we got into a fight with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. [laughter]
IK: I know the name Package from Sally refers to a package you once got from your cousin Sally. What was in it?
AR: Candies, coffee, tea, malt balls. because she runs a gift basket business in Houston. So we're kind of a tribute to her.
As I left, the group wanted badly to burst into a rousing rendition of something, but they couldn't agree on a tune. You can hear them at Mayfair, in Wilder Bowl at 3 p.m. Bring your kazoo.