Sitting Down with the Two 20-Somethings in the Dorons: Guest Post and Interview
The Rosenfield family are the alternative rock band, The Dorons. The Providence, Rhode Island-based band recently released their debut 11 song alternative and contemporary rock album playfully named The Doronic Verses. It’s an honest album and worth a listen.
We asked the band to provide a guest post about what it’s like to work together as a family and what it’s like as parents to play with your kids. Norman Rosenfield interviewed his two sons, Aryeh and Yosef, about their musical influences, what prompted them to start the band, and the songs on their album.
KEY
Q - Norm Rosenfield (Daddy Doron, guitar and keys)
A - Aryeh Rosenfield (bass and backing vocals)
Y - Yosef Rosenfield (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and backing vocals)
Q: When did you decide that music was going to be a big part of your life?
A: I started playing clarinet in second grade and joined the school band in third grade. In high school I didn't have much to do with music. I was into sports. Mommy started teaching me chords on the guitar. In elementary school I was listening strictly to Classical music. And there was always a backdrop of rock music, especially in the car.
When the Beatles box set came out in 2009 it was a big deal. In January 2010 we were visiting Ronny (Ronny Vance, former Geffen and Interscope president and family friend) and he had the set. Ronny asked what do you want to hear, and you looked at me and asked what song to play. So I said play something from Sgt. Pepper, only because it was considered their best album. But I couldn’t have named a song on it other than the title song. So Ronny blasted “Getting Better” on the most amazing sound system. I would describe this as one of the two times I had a spiritual experience. It was something I had never heard before.
You hear some of the great rock musicians describing their moment. Like when Springsteen inducted Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He waxed poetic and described how it was a mind-expanding experience. In subsequent years I experienced something like it but on a lower level. It was in MSG seeing the Eagles — that moment after “but you can never leave…” — and then the guitar solo kicks in. I was glued to the spot.
Y: My first grade teacher once had my class write down what we each wanted to be when we grew up, and I put down ‘musician’ — but I think that was just a young kid saying he wanted to be like his parents. The following year, my first song came to me in a dream. It was a parody of the minstrel song “Oh, Susanna” by Stephen Foster. I wrote parody songs and recorded a capella versions of them on cassette tapes until 2012, at which point I stopped writing because I felt creatively exhausted. I still didn’t play any instruments at this point, other than playing familiar melodies on the piano by ear. I had started taking piano lessons in third grade, but I quit after just a few weeks. I also learned a bunch of chords on guitar over Thanksgiving weekend in seventh grade, but I didn’t pick up the guitar after those first couple of days.
It wasn’t until early 2014 that things really took off. I remember standing in our living room, watching Aryeh play the intro to the Byrds’ version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dylan and thinking, I want to play guitar. That moment and a few others convinced me to finally commit to practicing guitar. Learning a new instrument ended up providing creative inspiration, and I got back into songwriting a couple days after picking up the guitar again. Shortly afterward, Mommy taught me a few chords on the piano, and I quickly realized that if I played an A major a whole step up, it would be a B major — even though I didn’t yet know the terms “whole step” or “half
step” — and I could therefore play many more chords than the ones she had shown me. I think there was this overall realization that I could learn things on my own terms — that I could figure out hand coordination and read chord charts on my own, and I didn’t need to take lessons. Looking back, this is when I got involved in music for the long haul.
Q: Aryeh, did that impact your appreciation of the Beatles or music in general?
A: Music in general, not really the Beatles. Up until then the only albums I knew were the Byrds Greatest Hits and most of Dylan’s Time Out of Mind.
Q: How did you become a bass player?
A: It was out of necessity. I was a music major and needed performance credits. There was a jazz ensemble, which didn’t appeal to me. So I asked the Music Chair if I could start a rock ensemble. He was more than receptive. Finding a guitar player was not a problem, but no one wanted to play bass. I knew I had access to a bass back home. Daniel, the guitar player, wanted to play Classic Rock and wanted to play Johnny B. Goode. So I started learning the song on bass.
Q: Who are some of your musical influences?
A: My influences were none really. In addition to Chuck Berry, we played “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Get Off My Cloud” by the Stones, and “White Room” by Cream.
Y: I’ve been influenced as a guitarist by Jake Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet and as a pianist by Peter Himmelman and a high school classmate. As a songwriter, I’m influenced by pretty much everything I hear. I basically just write songs and then realize after the fact, hey, that kinda sounds like that melody or that chord progression — with musical references to Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, Beethoven, Mozart, Panic! At The Disco, Nick Jonas…the list goes on.
Q: Did you follow or emulate any bass players?
A: I tried to really get into the instrument that semester. I bought two CDs going in, Rolling Stones’ Hot Rocks and Led Zep 1. So that was my dorm soundtrack. Bill Wyman and John Paul Jones.
Q: How did you recruit your mom, dad, and brother to play your recital?
A: I had one of three options for a senior capstone project. I could do a research paper, I could compose a piece of music, or I could perform a recital. I was most interested in performing. But I couldn't double dip (perform with the rock ensemble) because I was already getting credits for playing with them. Between my 3rd and 4th year in school I floated the idea and waited to see how you and Mommy reacted. It was relatively easy to get you to say yes; Mommy needed a bit of prodding. During fall break we started practicing Dylan songs in the basement. The songs were from the Albert Hall Bootleg series. In the beginning my concept was to perform the entire electric set from Albert Hall.
Q: How did the recital lead to starting the Dorons?
A: The recital went fine. I knew regardless how it went, we had some great chemistry.
Q: And it was more than three years later until you all played at Yosef’s recital?
A: It was actually four years. In the meantime we played during school breaks and played a few parties over the years.
Q: Do you prefer performing live or recording in the studio?
A: Definitely live. That’s what the music really sounds like. I knew it when we were rehearsing for Yosef’s remote recital during Covid.
Q: What are some memorable concerts you have seen?
A: In no particular order: Van Morrison was incredible. His voice is better than it was fifty years ago. Seeing the Eagles was amazing, especially considering thirteen months later Glen Frey died. All the Eagles alumni except Don Felder were there, and they joined them onstage at different parts of the show. The Black Keys were excellent. And Robert Plant and Allison Krause - that concert was incredible! There was no song that came across flat. Their band was like an Americana rockabilly style which went really well with their singing. T. Bone Burnett has done a great job picking songs for them. They only played songs from their two albums and from Led Zep 4. Really can’t miss songs - “Rock and Roll,” “Ballad of Evermore,” and “When the Levee Breaks.”
Y: Four come to mind: the second time I saw Bob Dylan, my favorite solo artist of all time — I loved his set that night; seeing Greta Van Fleet, my favorite band of all time — they sound incredible live; the second time I saw Peter Himmelman, my musical idol — he actually asked me to play keyboard at one point in his show; and seeing Paul McCartney, who needs no introduction — he played over 30 songs and sounded amazing.
Q: What are some of your favorite rock albums?
A: Again in no particular order: Sticky Fingers, Time Out of Mind, Highway 61 Revisited, and Led Zep 4. In terms of production alone I would pick Rumours (Fleetwood Mac). Ken Caillat producer, unreal. Close to a perfect album sonically.
Y: The Battle at Garden’s Gate by Greta Van Fleet, Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisted, and Gematria by Peter Himmelman.
Q: Aryeh, who’s your favorite bass player?
A: Probably go with John Paul Jones. He and John Entwhistle are the only two I know that use a pick because they wanted to get a particular sound.
Q: Didn’t Carol Kaye (The Wrecking Crew) use a pick?
A: Well, she was a studio musician and never played live. It’s kind of a lazy way to play the bass. Just a pet peeve of mind. You shouldn’t play the bass like a guitar.
Q: What did you enjoy about the process of putting the album together?
A: First off, we were in good hands in the studio, Alex and Alec knew what they were doing. I was excited about the material going in. It was really exciting to hear that it was translating really well onto the recording. I've gotten feedback from people who said, “wow, it sounds like a real album!”
Q: Do you have any favorite songs on the album?
A: I really liked what we did with “Jokerman” and “This New Poison.” And I really like the way “Blessings You Forget” turned out.
Y: My top three, in order, are “This New Poison,” “Jokerman,” and “Honey from the Hive.”
Q: Tell me about your sole writing credit on the album, Aryeh.
A: I wrote that for a composition class I was taking. I had to come up with a new song every week for class. “Chimes of Innocence” was the last song I wrote for the semester. And then I didn’t look at the songs for years. I didn’t see any use for them. When we were looking for songs for the album, I sent them along to Yosef and that’s the one he liked the most. And I really like how the arrangement turned out and also how it turned out sonically.
Q: What are you looking forward to music-wise going forward?
A: Ever since the Hendrix rehearsals for the recital, I felt there was a really good relationship there with everyone. I don’t know if there is any way to describe it if you’re not a musician. It’s like you’re all on the same wavelength. I've felt that way ever since the Hendrix songs leading up to my recital: “Manic Depression,” “Fire,”and “Third Rock From the Sun.” When it comes to that kind of music you really have to build a close relationship.
Q: You just can’t show up, punch a clock, and play. Where do you see the band going from here?
A: I know where I’d like it to go. I‘d like the band to play every live venue in greater RI that has live music. I think these songs live are really compelling. And once we’re playing together, I’m sure other songs will come together as well.
Y: We gotta perform. It’s what you and Mommy did 40 years ago with your bands — you played the songs you guys had written. We’ve got a great album to promote — I think we should do the same.
Q: Sounds like a plan! Thanks guys.
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