They aren’t bragging: White Reaper at Dour Fir

by Rose Blanton

Last Wednesday, White Reaper continued their tour behind their second studio Album, The Worlds Best American Band at Portland’s world famous Doug Fir. The unapologetic foursome played “a collection of songs including the one that they’re probably most notable for – “Half Bad.”  The show featured of keyboardist Ryan Hater doubling as a hype man and at least one of the Wilkerson brothers on top of an amp at all times. All the while backing up Tony Esposito (lead vocals and guitar). Their tour manager even came out and told a horrible joke. I was lucky enough after their set to catch a little time with the band in the green room and chat about their album and tour.

Rose Blanton: How’s the tour going?

Tony Esposito: This is the fifth day of tour and our second show, the math doesn’t really add up but it’s going well.

RB: Can you tell me a little about the production process behind this album?

TE: Kevin Ratterman did it all. We recorded it in Louisville at place called La La Land.

RB: Any new gear you guys got to incorporate during this album?

TE: All kinds of new keyboards and pedals. All kind of knick-knacks, some drums. Ryan’s new keyboard sounds like shattering glass

RB: Anything about the creative process that was different for this LP versus the last one? Any new themes you were trying to hit?

TE: It was entirely different. We worked on this record together and wrote it entirely in the studio. We had never done that before.

RB: Did you find the process to be quicker?

TE: Longer actually, we went in for a month and then went on tour to SXSW and came back a did a few weeks here and there so all together we were working on this album from February to May.

RB: I feel like mixing is such a hard part. Like how do you convey the sound in your brain?

TE: Yeah I run into that a lot. Knowing what I want but not knowing how to describe it. But that’s why Kevin (Ratterman) was so great, he was like a mind reader. He got so close to how we wanted it to end up.

RB: Anything you’re looking forward to doing on this tour?

TE: We like to eat steak and eggs and do a lot of push-ups

RB: Anything you want to say to our readers??

TE: Next time you’re eating your tempeh sandwich log into your Spotify and type in ‘White Reaper’