For Layne (“LP”) Putnam, a Los Angeles-based singer, music has always been an autobiographical journey, one influenced as much by her personal experiences as outside forces. From the growing pains of her days as a budding musician deep in search of her truest identity and message to her blossomed sound of today. LAYNE, a duo with Alexander Rosca, represents the evolved stage of the modern-day artist. Their most recent release, “Black Hills” EP, represents the latest and most entrancing chapter in the book of LAYNE. Time will only tell how far this burgeoning band will travel in search of the perfect song. What’s left is the soundtrack to a life on the road with never an end in sight.

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Chris Remmers: Let’s start by telling me and the fans at home a little bit about where you from and how you guys got started?

Layne Putnam: I have been playing music just about all my life, and then moved to Los Angeles about three and half years ago. I met this guy [Alexander Rosca], he clicked right in and we pretty much became best friends. Everything just worked. We liked all the same music, all the same silly garbage. It just made it really easy for him to fit right into what was already happening. I’m originally from Rapid City, South Dakota and he is from Portland, Oregon.

© MLU Fotos

CR: Wow, what are the odds? So, tell me, what are some of the biggest differences now living in LA?

Alexander Rosca: Oh my gosh, it’s a huge difference! Especially on the music side of it all. I felt like I almost reached the peak in Portland and it was just time. I knew even before I went to college that I wanted to move to LA. Luckily, I had a good mentor that pushed me to finish college, and then see if this was still my dream afterwords. Here we are today! I’m not going to lie, the transition from living in Oregon to living in LA was a bit chaotic, but I knew it was filled with opportunity. Then, within a month, I met Layne.

CR: That sounds incredible! Tell me a little bit about your journey from LA over here to the big apple?

AR: We took a van! We had a couple dates before New York, we went to Denver, Salt Lake City, Rapid City, Kansas City, Chicago and Pittsburgh. So, it was pretty cool overall getting to see the country as we went from west too east.

CR: That sounds pretty cool! Tell me a little bit about your travels. What were some of your favorite places to see along the way?

LP: Chicago was really fun, we got to play at Subterranean in Chicago. There was just a bunch of people there. It was just one of those shows were the energy in the place was just electric. It was just genuinely a fun show. I would love to go back at any time.

CR: Would you say that the crowd atmosphere was in line with the nightlife when you guys went out afterwards?

LP: Yeah, the crowd was sick. At first we didn’t know what to expect, there was actually a few people being [rude] to us, but we didn’t let that really get to us. The entire crowd was just electric, and when we went out after we found it was the same thing. Everywhere we went there was something going on. It didn’t matter how late or where we went. It was a pretty cool experience.

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CR: Sounds like one heck of a time. Now, personally, I would consider myself a “foodie”. Has there been any places along your journey across country that’s food stood out to you?

LP: We don’t always get to eat at the nicest places. Most of our meals consist of “dirty Ron’s”, or at least that’s what everyone by me calls McDonald’s.

AR: The best food I’ve had on this trip so far was probably Five Guys.

CR: Everything can’t be glamorous! Obviously traveling across country leaves you spending a lot of time in a closed space, but would you say that you guys draw inspiration from being on the road traveling?

LP: I’m super sensitive to the environment, so being in new environments everyday definitely affects me emotionally. That being said, being in a different city, surrounded by different people, some days are good and some are bad. You kind of draw on that for inspiration. I haven’t had a chance to write, because we have been so busy driving, preforming and moving around, but I am curious to see how it affects my writing once I’m back home.

AR: The road trip will definitely help us once we get back, because being in LA all the time kind of kills the mood. It kind of kills the feeling.

© Brandon Walford

CR: What place or venue, if you could perform there, would make you feel like you made it?

AR: I think as of right now the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, just because I think it is so sick. Some really iconic bands have played there. It’s a place a lot of people I know are trying to get too.

CR: So to wrap this up for you guys, when is your next big trip and what is it for?

LP: We are waiting to hear about a few more tours. I know that we will be going out soon and hopefully with some bigger bands. As of right now we really have no idea. So, I guess we will see!

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For more on LAYNE check out their “Black Hills” EP on iTunes:

Cover photo © Brandon Walford