Go to the Ted Herbert School of Music website and Adam Terrell’s bio mentions nothing about the fact that he is the lead guitarist for Assembly of Dust. In fact, Terrell has no idea how well known he is amongst his jamband peers. He’s extremely modest considering this summer marks the tenth anniversary of Assembly of Dust and Terrell has been there for the entire musical journey.
In July 2001 at the Stone Church in New Hampshire, Terrell bumped into former Strangefolk frontman Reid Genauer at a Percy Hill concert. Genauer invited Terrell to be part of his next musical project. Fast forward and Terrell’s lead notes have shaped Assembly of Dust’s signature Americana sound.
AOD, which announced it will perform at New York’s Mercury Lounge on December 30 and 31, entered the studio in July to record a new album. It was the first time the band produced tracks without longtime keyboardist Nate Wilson and drummer Andy Herrick. Terrell co-wrote a song on the album titled: “Unvarnished.” Backstage during a concert in Portland, Maine, Terrell came up with a chord progression and recorded it on his phone. Genauer wrote all the words and a week later there was a song.
Terrell also plays in Ghosts of Jupiter, formerly known as the Nate Wilson Group.
So how long have you guys been in the studio and what’s the process been like?
We just started 10 days ago and we got some basic tracks down. We’ve been talking about getting back into the studio for a few months. Reid had come up with a crop of new songs and started getting the bug and wanted to record more songs. We finally decided to do it this past week or so, and hold ourselves up in a studio in Manhattan and recorded a whole bunch of tunes – 16 songs. It went great.
Our producer Ryan Freeland kept us on task and kept us away from redoing everything. He was offering an outside perspective and kept us focused on the task at hand. The real driving force is to capture the songs in a pure form and we’re not succumbing to the temptations of going back to fix things. We played and tried to be relaxed about it and have a good time.
What’s the sound of the new album going to be like?
It’s pretty much all brand-new songs that we never played – it’s a broken down approach – nothing fancy, just focusing on the songs. Every instrument is there to deliver the message of the tune. And there are different drum grooves with Dave Diamond and different instrumentation with Jason Crosby. It’s not one of those rip roaring rock albums. It runs the gamut of a few different genres.
With no Nate, and no Andy was there a different feel in the studio?
It was definitely different. This time in the studio it’s been more of a collaborative process. When you got some new guys – it’s kind of like: ‘Lets see what these new guys can bring to the table because we’re still getting to know them.’ You come up with things you never expected and it pushes you as a musician. There’s a more mature feel and it feels fresh because they are new. I definitely miss playing with Andy and Nate – those guys were around for a long time, but having new guys in the band takes you a out of your element, and takes you out of your comfort zone and that’s a good thing.
How much of a creative role in the songwriting process do you get to play?
Reid comes in with a basic song structure and lyrics but he trusts us to help him flush it out. He trusts us to throw out ideas in terms of chord patterns. Some of the songs are open to different arrangements, chords, and bridges. We’re mature enough to except each other’s ideas and try them out. It’s a healthy process – Reid is writing the signature of the piece, but every song becomes a stew with our different ingredients.
You co-wrote a song on this album, will we ever hear you take the lead vocals on a song?
I enjoy singing a lot but I don’t know. I’m not a lyricist. I don’t write lyrics. I never had a knack for writing. I like to sing a cover song here and there. Reid has a powerful voice with a lot of gusto, so we might as well have the best singer in the band sing. I don’t know why I haven’t been able to write lyrics.
Speaking of Reid, what’s he like as a band leader?
He’s hands off, but that’s not entirely accurate. In a musical sense, he likes to have us throw out ideas and see what sticks. He trusts us and he trusts our music sensibility and he gives up a sense of control. When we perform live, we work loosely from a setlist that
bassist John Leccese comes up with and we can offer opinions.
When does Reid take control?
Sometimes we get to a point where we’re not going to agree on everything and that’s when Reid is hands-on. When we can’t make a decision, he makes that great executive decision.
How did you two guys meet?
We met backstage in the mid to late 90s when he was still playing with Strangefolk. I was playing with a woman named Kristin Mueller and we opened up for Strangefolk a couple of times at Club Toast in Burlington. I guess he enjoyed my playing and I bumped into him a few years later and he remembered me, and of course, I remembered him.
Describe the chemistry between you and Reid?
We have fun and lots of laughs and we crack each other up all the time.
What about the chemistry between you John? You guys have been in six different bands together.
It will be 20 years next summer. We first played together in Groovechild in New Hampshire. There’s a lot of personal and musical chemistry. We know each other musically so well. It’s a pretty magical thing. Even if I’m in a room where I can’t hear him very well, I know where he’s going musically. We developed a familiarity with our styles but we still continue to surprise each other, which is pretty cool at this point.
Who were some of your musical influences?
Growing up, my mom played classical music and the Beatles and those things sunk indirectly through osmosis. I played violin, piano, trumpet but I didn’t stick with any of them. Then when I was in middle school, my friend Josh Pryor bought a guitar and I wanted one, so I bought one for $69 at Service Merchandise. I was really into heavy metal at the time but by the time I was in high school, I was into classic rock. I was fascinated by Jerry Garcia – he showed me you can improvise and make things up. When I found out he was improvising it blew my mind. I also listened to a lot of Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King and the Allman Brothers.
How would you describe your individual playing?
I’ve never been asked that question. Blues based and blues rock with a sprinkling of Jerry Garcia and a weak attempt at Jimi Hendrix.
What kind of guitar do you play? What’s unique or different about it?
When I’m in AOD, I play a Fender Stratocaster which has more of country sound to it, and when I’m in Nate’s band, I play an Americana Gibson ES 335 which has a classic rock tone to it.
I was just about to ask you about Nate’s band. How is that developing?
The band is going in a great direction. We have a new record coming out. It’s been a long time coming as it’s been a start and stop process.
Could you envision a tour of AOD & Ghosts of Jupiter?
It’s certainly not out of the question. That would be a long night of music for me – but it would be a blast. It’s never been discussed but I could see it happening in the future.
What’s the biggest difference between the two groups?
In Assembly of Dust, I get to be more introspective and with Nate, it’s balls out.
You’ve been in the jamband scene for almost a decade now, what’s this ride been like for you?
It’s a pretty crazy. It can be a roller coaster at times, but I like roller coasters. It’s amazing. I’ve been able to do some things that I never expected to happen. I got to play with Dickey Betts – never expected in a million years that would happen, let alone meet him. I played “Blue Sky” with him. There are moments where you look around and you can’t believe this is happening. I’m never going to stop, this is what I do. However, there are moments of sheer boredom like killing time waiting in the green room, but it’s part of the game.
If you could play with anyone who would it be?
I would love to play with any members of the Grateful Dead: Bobby, Phil, Mickey or Bill. It’s a long shot but who knows.
When you’re done with a tour or a festival and have to go back to your day job as a guitar teacher – what’s that transition like?
I’ve taught guitar for a long time, I enjoy it a lot – it’s very fulfilling to help someone make progress. Teaching guitar kind of takes me away. At times, you get caught up being in a rock ‘n’ roll band, and going to teach guitar brings me back down to earth. I teach great kids and they have no idea who I am.
What’s the most important advice you give to your students?
First is that you have to be patient and that mastering the guitar is not going to come over night. Second is that being patient isn’t easy if you are very curious. You have to pick it up and experiment. If you have that natural sense of curiosity and patience you’re going to be OK. But if you’re impatient and only do what I tell you, you’re going to spin your wheels. Practice has to be enjoyable, and being curious is what makes it enjoyable.
