How did you meet Marc and Mike and how did you three come together to form Company of Thieves? How did you decide on the band name?

GS: Marc and myself met at Union Station in Chicago through a mutual friend. Mike and I had played shows together while in our high school bands and happened to bump into each other at Union Station a few months after I met Marc! It was exactly when we were looking to put together a line up, for we had written several songs as an acoustic duo and wanted to piece together an electric line up. Timing was in our favor. We chose “Company of Thieves” as the band name to pay tribute to all of our influences and stake our vision in the ground before anyone could mold us.

You have such a beautiful voice and wide vocal range, have you had any professional vocal training?

GS: Thank you, I have been singing in my school choirs and theatre performances all my life and unfortunately haven’t had but 3 actual lessons. This is a priority of mine, however, especially now that I have started to tour and perform almost every night of the week. There is so much I need/want to learn in order to stay vocally healthy and strong on the road!

One thing that I love about you guys is that you don’t just get on stage and perform; you really like to get the crowd into it. Why do you feel like audience interaction is so important?

GS: Without audience interaction we feel like we are on display! A concert should be a celebration of music and mood- we feel it is only right to include everyone in the experience. When a whole room of people can hang out and express themselves, everyone leaves with a greater sense of connection. This is a beautiful and rare thing.

You’re getting ready to embark on another tour, on which I hear you will be stopping in my city – Seattle... (YES!! ☺), what did you learn on your last tour with Thriving Ivory that you will carry with you on the next tour? Will you change anything?

GS: We are so excited for the upcoming dates- especially Seattle with all of it’s 90’s history that spoke so loudly to us growing up. We learned the hard way how to manage our budget and when it is time to call it a night. I got sick for a bit at the beginning of the last tour and had to discipline myself to get better. I now know when to say, “I need to go to sleep!” I will change the way I spend money on food- a balanced and regular diet is far more important than I realized.

You, Marc and Mike are very tight-knit and it’s clear on Ordinary Riches that each of you are irreplaceable in the band. What has touring taught you about yourself and your band-mates?

GS: Touring has set in the clear all of my weaknesses and strengths as a teammate. I have learned that I must play several different roles on the road in order to bring out the best in a situation. We have all learned how to compromise for each other and help out when the going gets rough.

Some silly things I have learned about my band mates are: Mike will eat Mexican food for all meals of the day if he is able. Marc relies on Red Bulls to help him stay awake during long drives. Bob will eat cashews until the cows come home. Mike Maimone will eat anyone’s leftovers.

GS: We are able to get into the same songs night after night because the audience is always new, so there are discoveries to make. It keeps our perspective fresh. Everyone has different practices that help us get focused. Some of us stretch, some of us snack, talk, walk, etc.

You’re video for “Oscar Wilde” is so great, I love the ‘Rushmore’ reference. What made you decide to approach the video that way?

GS: Our Director, Jason Hinkle came up with the idea when he discovered the meaning behind the song. Also, Wes Anderson is one of our favorite filmmakers of all time- we love his sense of humor and the way he relishes in awkward moments that we share as people in society.

And what was your inspiration for that song (“Oscar Wilde”)?

GS: The man himself and the way he poked fun at they way people carry themselves in society. He always brought light to their insecurities and masks of defense. Even in modern day I find his writings to be extremely relevant.

What inspired the cover of Ordinary Riches?

GS: We wanted to grasp the feeling of raw, inspiring, ‘youthful but with and old soul’ type of image. Marc’s aunt owns an antique shop on the Northside of Chicago and in it we found a gorgeous 1920’s chandelier that had clear beads dropped in a bell shape. I suggested taking a photo from beneath, because it appeared as a wheel of light- so inspiring. It reminds me of the excitement we shared when we were pouring out our ideas in the beginning of the record!

I love every song on the album, seeing as it’s your debut album, I’m really excited to see what you do next! What would you like to do on your next album that you didn’t do on this one (as far as genres, collaborations, etc.)?

GS: Thank you! We would like to incorporate many other instruments and arrangements that weren’t on the first. Small vintage key instruments, horns, more percussion. Also, if we can pull it together, recording live would be fantastic!

What’s the writing process like for you three? How do you put it all together?

GS: The songs on Ordinary Riches were mostly written between Marc and myself. We are quite spontaneous about out writing. He comes up with music and arrangements, I come up with lyrics and we collaborate on melodies. It changes all the time as far as who brings a base idea to the couch. We seem to write a lot on the couch, him with an acoustic guitar and me with my voice and notebook. Sometimes I plunk around on a piano and he helps me with structure and coloration. Then we bring ideas to the band and flesh out the rest.

Do you write while you’re on tour as well as while you’re home?

GS: When we have time, yes! Traveling is a huge inspiration for us.

What do you like to do when your not making music?

GS: When I am not making music I like to read, go to museums, pretend to cook, and visit my family.

What advice would you give to aspiring singer-songwriters and musicians out there?

GS: Stay true to yourself and your purpose of art and take every opportunity you can to meet new people and share your music with them!

What kinds of books, music and films are you into right now and why do you love them?

GS: I am reading Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller because it shakes me out of the mind set in boundaries by society- he is so alive and free! I am also reading a collection of early Dr. Seuss writings called The Tough Coughs and he Ploughs the Dough because it makes me laugh to no end. The youthful way that man looked at the world and all of it’s quirky inhabitants is so refreshing. I am listening to “Drukqs” by Aphex Twin because it helps me appreciate eclectic beats and sounds that aren’t traditional in the pop world. Also, I get very motivated to be productive when I hear his music. I am really into the film Spirited Away by Miyazki because it is done so well and the messages ring so true that you forget it is an animated film! The main character, Chihiro, reminds me of my sisters.

Thank you so much for taking a break for this interview! I can't wait to see you in Seattle!

GS: Thanks for having me!

For more information about Company of Thieves, please visit their website at: http://www.companyofthieves.net!

Check out Company of Thieves' video for 'Oscar Wilde', and click here to download it from iTunes: