I’m about as big of a Dog & Panther fan as they come.  In the short time since finding the Michigan trio on BandCamp, I’ve spent hours with their album, creating a personal relationship with their blend of electronic and indie pop.  After John Katona aka “panther” commented on our article about the band, I ended up on a half hour phone call with the multi-talented artist.

Ian Sigmon and John Katona met snowboarding in high school and quickly bonded after discovering their shared passion for music and film.  After a couple years playing together, Katona was in a near fatal car accident while driving to work that left him with a broken neck and limited mobility in all four limbs.  Clearly this didn’t limit him as he returned to Michigan after a rehab stint in Colorado to discover a new found interest in electronic music.  Sigmon and Katona then founded a website called “The Dog and The Panther” which they used to share short stories, art, and the instrumental electronic music they were creating together.

Their music project took on a life of its own when Sigmon’s friend, Ben Vrazo joined two years ago, adding his distinct vocals and lyrical perspective.  According to Katona, “[Ben Vrazo said] I can get some vocals out of this stuff, so we decided to give it a try.  It worked really well, so he joined the band.  We didn’t even call it a band until [three months ago].  At this point it was the three of us, and we changed to Dog & Panther.  Ben [is] the amperstamp, the ‘and’ symbol.”

Katona went on to explain each member’s role in the band. “Ben just does lyrics and vocals.  And a little bit of instrumentation here and there.  Ian and I write most of [the music].  He plays the stuff, and I produce it and [compose] all of the electronic [elements].  I also write a lot of the percussion and that sort of stuff.  [Ian] produces a sound, and I make them, [while] I produce his parts, and he makes them.”

Dog & Panther tend to stray from the generic model of songwriting and recording, which they demonstrate in the making-of video for their latest single. Instead of relying on more standardized sounds, they take real world objects like a car engine or wooden pole and create tones and beats using production software.  This method reminds me of a video I saw featuring Jón Þór Birgisson and Jónsi drummer Thorvaldur Thór Thorvaldsson who added layered percussion on their debut album using a variety of odd objects such as a suitcase.  Katona explained, “It’s really strange.  We’re trying to do stuff with weird objects.  It’s easy for me to write new songs when I have these sounds.”

Recreating these elaborate effects during a live show without a budget like Jónsi will likely be a daunting task.  Due to their elaborate sound scheme, Dog & Panther never planned on performing live, let alone tour.  They decided to give it a shot two weeks ago and, by including 14 of their friends in the action, were able to pull it off in a big way.  They’re currently in the process of figuring out how to translate their material as a three piece band.  ”Would we write it all out sheet music style kind of like old fashioned country music used to do?”

This transition from studio band to all around performers will be an exciting process to watch.  In an age when money is made nearly entirely through the touring process, it seems to be a required space for the band to expand into.  While it will definitely be difficult, these guys have what it takes.  Their sound has mainstream appeal, while still staying true to creative ingenuity that fuels it.

There’s also, of course, the obvious question which is raised in nearly every article I’ve read about them.  There’s no denying that singer Ben Vrazo sounds a whole lot like Ben Gibbard.  At first, I didn’t know whether to see this as a reason to love or hate the band.  When it comes down to it,  though, it’s nearly impossible to find a vocalist with the pipes and soul to bring about such a comparison. If Vrazo is talented enough to be compared to one of my favorites, then more power to him and also Dog & Panther for taking his sound and making it so much more.  When I mentioned a Postal Service comparison to Katona, he replied, “we’ve heard it.  I don’t get offended when I hear that.  It’s tricky because it comes naturally.”

We can expect an incredibly busy 2011 for Dog & Panther, including more live shows, a new album, a music festival, live videos, and (possibly) a trip to New York.  I speak for everyone on The Wild Honey Pie when I say that I am beyond excited to track the success of this young Michigan trio.

On a final note, Katona’s bandmate Ian Sigmon is also one of the masterminds behind the creative film making squad Sigmon & Lawes.  Their videos are incredibly addicting, high-quality productions that take on horror, music, and even commercials.

——————————————————————–

Live photo by Matt Hallowell