Courtesy of Dominic DiSaia

From the hills of Los Angeles hails Everest, a five-piece band that’s come into the limelight very naturally, just as the members wanted it to. Each of the musicians has played with a slew of other bands through the years, such as The Watson Twins, Great Northern and John Vanderslice. They finally realized that they should put a halt to the other projects and come together to form what is now known as the band Everest.

Recorded in Elliott Smith’s former room at New Monkey Studio, the group’s debut album, “Ghost Notes,” strikes all the right chords. It has a woodsy, timeless sound that’s a great accompaniment to Neil Young’s classic American rock. Maybe that’s why they were signed to Young’s record label, Vapor Records, and have since embarked on a very long tour as one of his opening bands.

Russell Pollard took some time while on tour in Seattle to speak with me about the band’s album, “Ghost Notes,” touring with an American legend and about Jack A. Weil, the creator of the snap-button western shirt.

The Daily Aztec: Everest is still a pretty new band. How’s the tour going so far?

Pollard: It’s going really well. We’re having a blast. We’re buddies, we have a great time. There’s no drama; it’s just fun. We enjoy every moment.

DA: Do you prefer being on the road, or do you like staying in one place? Are you used to being on the road at this point?

Pollard: Right now it’s what I’m used to. I mean, I miss home. But I don’t like routines, and you never know what you’re going to get on the road here. You’re just moving from place to place. I kind of like this motion. I also think it’s been really good for us, and me in particular, for creative energy.

DA: This is your first time you’re playing your own music with your own band. Is it different for you than when you were contributing to other bands? Is it a lot more personal or did you take your other projects just as personally as you are taking Everest?

Pollard: I think it was all growth for me. I enjoyed those, too (playing in other bands). With Everest, it’s different because I wrote a lot of the songs for the record and I’m the singer. First and foremost, it’s a band, but I think all of us feel different in this band because we’re equals, we’re friends. We started thinking really that we were just going to listen to each other’s ideas and have a good time with music.

DA: When you signed with Vapor, did you have any idea that you would eventually go on tour with Neil Young, or was it very surprising when you were asked?

Pollard: Well, I can say that that was a dream of mine. But, yeah, it was a surprise. Even though we were on his label and he was giving us his support, I wasn’t expecting to get an invitation to this tour, the whole thing especially. It’s just a huge honor.

DA: So, how has it been opening for Neil Young so far?

Pollard: His fans have been really cool to us. I think what we’re doing is something they can appreciate and not too far from what he’s done. I think, basically, it’s a lot more people than we’re used to playing for.

DA: Is it kind of intimidating playing these huge venues with him (Young)?

Pollard: I thought it was going be more intimidating than it’s been. We’ve just been enjoying it. We’ve been welcomed into their family and they’ve really put us at ease.

DA: “Ghost Notes” sounds nostalgic and a bit like you’ve been haunted. Did you write mostly about your past?

Pollard: Yeah, it’s a lot of that. It’s kind of like a bunch of letters to people that are still here and some of them aren’t. It was about letting go of some heartache, and frustration and loss. The record and songs served me that way.

DA: How did the album cover (a picture of a pinecone in front of the moon) come about?

Pollard: I collect pinecones. I have a huge pinecone fetish. There were pinecones all over the studio and there are pinecones all over my house. So a photographer created that scene that is on the cover.

DA: The bio on your MySpace page relates the band to Jack A. Weil, the first person to put snaps on a western shirt, and his recent passing in August 2008. How did he end up in your bio?

Pollard: We were all kind of bummed because a lot of us wear those shirts. It’s not the only thing in our wardrobe, but you know. An American icon had passed away and it’s kind of like anytime anyone who contributes something really special to the world passes, it’s sad. I think it was also a reference to the timeless aspect of what he created.

DA: There’s also a link to register to vote on your MySpace page. Are you guys excited that you’re in a place right now where you can influence young people about something that important?

Pollard: Absolutely. It’s the most important election that we’ve ever been alive during. We’re going to do our part with whatever little exposure we have at this point.

DA: The album was recorded with vintage equipment and you used no computers during the recording process. Was this done to echo a certain era?

Pollard: Not necessarily. We own a bunch of old equipment and that’s what we like to work on. We’ve been working with vintage gear for a long time, and it’s just the sound we like as well. The records that we’ve grown up listening to and a lot records we still listen to were done that way. It’s just a different taste.

DA: You recorded the record in Elliott Smith’s room at New Monkey Studio. How was that?

Pollard: The energy in there is incredible. He wanted the studio to be used by friends and other musicians, so I think he’d be happy that we got in there and made a record.

DA: Everest is defined as a high point or a summit. Do you think of it that way?

Pollard: I don’t think we really think of it that way or thought of it that way when we named the band. To me, it’s more of a personal journey. If you think about the people who climb that mountain (Mount Everest), it’s hard … Being in a band sometimes is like that, to be dramatic. I think it’s more about that than some grandiose peak. We’re a humble band.

DA: So, after this tour, do you think you’ll go home and hang out for a while and then go back to the studio to record a follow-up?

Pollard: The band is actually writing now. We have a lot of time in between when we show up to these venues with Neil and when we have to go on. We bring as much gear as we can backstage and we’re writing. It looks like it might be the only time for us to do it. I’m not sure what’s ahead but I think we’re going to be pretty busy up until maybe even next summer.

DA: What can we expect when you stop by the Cox Arena next Wednesday?

Pollard: Well, we’ll all be wearing Speedos and uh … no, I’m sorry (laughs). The band is in the best shape we’ve ever been in, so if people want to come see Everest, it’s a good time to see us.

Everest will be performing at Cox Arena next Wednesday with Death Cab for Cutie and Young. Its album “Ghost Notes” is available on Vapor Records.