From Punk to Pop

Back when singer/guitarist Steven Bradford was in Waiting for Autumn, it looked like the power-punk band was about to break big, with write-ups in Alternative Press and a tour opening for Underoath. Many were surprised when he quit the group in 2003 to form Get Back Loretta, a decidedly more soulful and psychedelic outfit.

"[The breakup] was all about women, and of course the usual creative differences," he says. "I liked that Waiting for Autumn played the all-age clubs, like Soma and Epicentre -- that's a great crowd to learn your chops in front of -- but I wanted to go in a more funky, layered direction and do more of a Queen-meets-Jeff Buckley kind of thing. And I wanted a beer."

With his band named after a line in a Beatles song ("Get Back"), one may wonder what Bradford's cousin Lars Fredrickson (of Rancid) might say of his defection from punk to pop. "I've only met him twice in my life," laughs Bradford, "and I didn't even know who he was at the time. I doubt anyone will ask him if he's related to me anytime soon." Get Back Loretta won the Best New Artist award at last year's SDMAs and won Best Pop this year. Their new album Over the Wall was released in July on Pacific Records.

WHAT'S IN YOUR CD PLAYER?

1. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds ("What can you say about such genius?")

2. Radiohead, Amnesiac ("I save this album for long, droning rides.")

3. Ben Kweller, Sha Sha ("This album makes everyone tear up and think of all their exes.")

4. Queen, Greatest Hits ("Normally, a hits compilation wouldn't be in my top five, but this album makes you crap yourself and laugh at the same time.")

DESERT ISLAND DVDs?

1. Dumb and Dumber ("The funniest movie ever.")

2. Reservoir Dogs ("Dude, it's Quentin Tarantino. Hell, yeah.")

3. Coach Carter ("I like Denzel.")

4. The Boondock Saints

5. Pulp Fiction

BEST BEATLES SONG (BESIDES "GET BACK")?

"'A Day in the Life,' because it's a perfect blend of the songwriting styles of John and Paul.

Listening to this song still makes the hair on my arms stand up."

FAVORITE TWILIGHT ZONE?

"The one with the guy who has the watch that stops time, and then it breaks and he's all alone ["A Kind of Stopwatch"].

MONTY PYTHON OR KIDS IN THE HALL?

"Kids in the Hall, 'cause Canadians are funnier than the British."

WORST CURRENT MUSICAL TREND?

"The fact that disco kind of came back. What's that all about?"

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU FEW WOULD KNOW OR GUESS?

"All of us in the band are dating each other."