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‘Interviews’ Category

  1. Exclusive Interview: Said the Whale’s Tyler Bancroft

    June 20, 2013 by Dave

    said the whale band members

    Vancouver based indie rock quintet Said The Whale is midway through a summer tour after just releasing the very well received “I love you” EP (Spotify / iTunes only $2.99!).  Luckily for us Tyler was able to take some time off from their very busy travel schedule to answer some questions for Addicted2Shows’ staff writer AJ Dent.

    Audio of interview below:

    Said The Whale Interview 2013

    Listen while you read:

     

    AJ: It looks like you guys are down around San Diego today?

    Tyler: Yeah, we will be there today. We’re just driving down the I-5 right now.

    AJ: Awesome. Well, if we could first talk about the I Love You EP that just came out – very exciting. It sounds like in these tracks there’s some struggle going on for personal growth, and it seems like you frequently reference family dynamics. What was some of the inspiration behind those songs?

    Tyler: Probably family is a huge influence on me and on Ben. It’s hard to say why all that stuff sort of came out at once. I really don’t know what it is; there’s never any real rhyme or reason why we write about what we write about. It’s just whatever happens to come out when we sit down with a guitar and a piece of paper.

    AJ: It sounds very organic, just naturally coming out. (more…)


  2. Q&A: Ume (Live In LA Tonight)

    June 12, 2012 by Steph

    Ume

    I got to ask Lauren Larson, frontwomen of Austin trio Ume, some questions. Listen to thier upcoming album Phantoms below (while you read the interview is recommended!) and check them out when they come to your city on tour. They’ll be live at The Satellite in LA tonight so that’s where I’ll be!

    Q. Your guitar skills are insane! How long have you been playing and did you take lessons or are you self-taught?
    A. Thanks. I first picked up a guitar at age 12 and am self taught.  I stayed up all night with a tape of Incesticide until I learned “Aneurysm” by ear.  My hands were too small at the time to do traditional chords so I started developing my own style based around my own tunings.  I then got in a thrashy punk band at age 14, tuned down to drop C and drop D, turned up my amp as loud as I could, and have been playing live music ever since.

    Q. I’m sure being in a band with your husband can have its good and bad moments. How do you and Eric handle it?
    A. I met Eric when I was 15 playing in a band at a skatepark.  We grew up and together through music, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to travel the country in a van making music with my first love.  Being in a band with anyone means sharing an intense level of commitment and communication.  We just have a little more practice at it.

    Q. How did Rachel become a part of the mix? And did you know that you wanted a female drummer or did it just work out that way?
    A. We first saw Rachel play drums with her old band Many Birthdays at our EP release show a few years ago.  We were blown away by her powerful playing and when it was time to look for another drummer, she was the first person we asked.  Rachel and I both share the goal of being respected for our playing and hope to transcend the categorization of being “a girl” drummer or guitarist.  We’re so happy Rachel is in the band, but not because she’s a female, she’s one of the best drummers we’ve seen. And she hits hard!

    Q. How does the songwriting work? Do different members have different rolls or is it collaborative?
    A. For the most part we write collaboratively – at times it’s instinctive and intuitive, and other times it’s meticulous and neurotic.

    Q. Who are some of your musical influences, both just as a musician and as a band?
    A. Fugazi, Black Sabbath, Blonde Redhead, Miles Davis, Ennio Morricone, Led Zeppelin, Twelve Blades, Queens of the Stone Age, Fleetwood Mac, etc.

    Q. How do you think your degree in philosophy affects the music that Ume makes (if it does at all)?
    A. Both arenas I see as attempts to give voice to otherwise silent parts of myself.  Both were ways to challenge convention.  But the academic bubble was sometimes suffocating for me.  I found myself most alive and at ease on the stage with my guitar, so that’s the path I chose to dedicate my heart to.

    Q. Do you think it’s harder to be successful as a female-fronted band in the music industry? Is it a “boys club”? Or do you think it helps set Ume apart?
    A. It’s hard to be “successful” in the music industry these days for any musician.  But yes, there are still door guys that don’t want to let me in the club because they don’t think I’m in the band.  There are still sound guys that will make sexist comments about the “little blonde chick with the big amp” and who will demand that “sugar cheeks turn down” before a note is even played.  There are still music magazines with bikini models straddling guitars and photographers who ask to draw in cleavage with a Sharpie. But the dream of Ume is just to write the best music we can and to put on the most passionate performance we can every night.  Hopefully it will be this that sets us apart.

    Q. You had other–potentially more profitable–label options. What made you decide to call Modern Outsider Records home? And how has it been working with them on releasing your new record Phantoms?
    A. Modern Outsider offered a collaborative, local, and artist-friendly indie label.  They are a husband and wife team that love music and the bands they work with. We consider ourselves so fortunate to have them as the home for Phantoms.

    Q. What is the most personal song on the album for you? And can you share a little about the meaning?
    A. Probably Hurricane, the oldest song on the album.  It’s an apology and a promise.

    Q. What are some other Texas bands that we should know about?
    A. We love Schmillion. I met most of the members when I was their band coach at Girls Rock Camp. A few years later I was watching them bring their unique rock to thousands as they opened for the Arcade Fire.  Ringo Deathstarr, The Sour Notes,  and Megafauna are some other slaying local favorites.

    Q. What is next for Ume?
    A. We are on a west coast tour with The Life and Times now and then will be going on a national tour with Helmet and The Toadies this July.  This fall we will be appearing on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations (they filmed us during SXSW), recording a new album, and touring Europe for the first time!
    Awesome! Thanks for chatting Lauren and I can’t wait to see you tonight at The Satellite!

     

    TOUR DATES
    JUNE 12th – Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite *
    JUNE 13th – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *
    JUNE 15th – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar *
    JUNE 16th – Seattle, WA @ Barboza *
    JUNE 18th – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
    JUNE 19th – Denver, CO @ The Walnut Room *
    JULY 15th – Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Festival
    JULY 21st – Pensacola Beach, FL @ Capt’n Fun Beach Club ^
    JULY 22nd – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s ^
    JULY 24th – Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits ^
    JULY 25th – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution ^
    JULY 26th – St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre ^
    JULY 27th – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues ^
    JULY 28th – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade ^
    JULY 29th – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte ^
    JULY 31st – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore ^
    AUGUST 1st – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
    AUGUST 2nd – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
    AUGUST 3rd – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
    AUGUST 4th – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
    AUGUST 5th – Lansing, MI @ Michigan Rock N Brew @ Adado
    AUGUST 7th – Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
    AUGUST 8th – Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot Ballroom
    AUGUST 9th – Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
    AUGUST 10th – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
    AUGUST 11th – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
    AUGUST 12th – Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumount Club

    * Co-headlining dates with The Life and Times.
    ^ With Helmet and The Toadies


  3. Interview with Appeitite

    August 4, 2011 by Steph

    I’ve recently been introduced to the amazing musical project of Teddy Briggs from Sacramento, CA–Appetite. The music on Appetite’s recent album Scattered Smothered Covered plays with rhythms and silly melodies with dark themes. It’s really fascinating and I was so enraptured with it that I wanted to ask Teddy, the creator, a few questions.

    MP3 of “Tussy”
    MP3 of “Fiery Ring”

    S: First off, Appetite. Why the name? Does it mean something for the concept of the musical project or was it just something fun?

    Teddy: I was trying to think of cool band names (as usual) and I thought of Appetite.  I liked the way it sounded and then thought about what it might mean.  I think I initially related to the idea of hunger in making music, being hungry in part to be heard but also hungry to just make music no matter what, even if no one heard it.  Now I find even more potential meanings for the name, which is my favorite thing about words and language in general, meanings morph with time and context.

    (more…)


  4. Interview with Seryn of Denton, TX

    June 30, 2011 by Steph

     

    A few weeks ago I had a pleasantly surprised to find an amazing band playing at Redwood when just grabbing a drink with a friend. As I saw them assembling their gear, I became more and more curious of the mystery band. A whole stage full of instruments that could belong to 10 bluegrass band players, Seryn finally took the stage. Their dynamics were amazing, building a complete soundcape with every instrument and vocal part intertwining intricately. It’s as if Freelance Whales decided to make a Mumford and Sons record with Greg Laswell as the front man (and it could not have been a better combination). I was so in awe of them live that I was completely fixated and harassed them the next day for a copy of their recent record This Is Where We Are. Although the record isn’t as visceral and tangible as their live show, both are supreme. I decided to ask Nathan and Chelsea of the Denton band a few questions…

    Listen to “We Will All Be Changed” by Seryn:

    S: So first off, I saw your guys’ set at Redwoods in Los Angeles and your live show is pretty spectacular and dynamic. Was a great introduction to the band. Had you played Los Angeles before?

    Nathan: Thanks so much! Glad you made it out. We have never played in LA before, so it was a great first night there.

    S: Did you get to do anything exciting while you were in town? Do any sightseeing?

    Nathan: We spent a few hours down in Huntington Beach. We don’t really have Pacific Oceans in Texas, so it was a must.

    S: You guys have been touring almost non-stop all year, including a highly-praised stint at SXSW in Austin. Is it taxing to be on the road so much or do you love it? And what have been some of the highlights? (more…)


  5. Interview with Kitten, Live at The Echo Tonight!

    June 28, 2011 by Steph

    Kitten, photo credit Andrew Zaeh

    Kitten’s Chloe Chaidez is incredible. She’s only 16 and making amazing pop-infused indie rock worthy of someone twice her age. I was introduced to Kitten through her Sunday School EP, released in October last year, and her session with The Wild Honey Pie. Now she’s about to tour around the U.S. with Brother and then Electric Six. First, she’ll be playing at The Echo tomorrow sponsored by Futuresounds.com with The Postelles. And before any of that, I got to ask Chloe a few questions about life as a young professional musician.

    S: You’re only 16 and already your music is being compared to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O, Cat Power and The Killers. How long have you been making music?

    Chloe: Well I’ve been in bands since I was 10, so I guess you could say I started young. My first instrument was bass, and soon after I learned guitar and started to write. It was  “live, breath eat music” from there on out.

    S: Who are some of the bands and musicians that have inspired you? Which do you credit as influences on Kitten’s sound?

    Chloe: Fortunately the other guys in the band come from very different musical backgrounds, so as a whole we have a lot of people/bands influencing our music. Personally speaking, bands like New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Iggy Pop have influenced me greatly over Kitten’s short life span.

    S: How did you get into such a solid collection of music at a young age? Do you have musical parents or an older sibling you who introduced you or did you find it on your own?

    Chloe: Both actually. My dad is a musician who introduced to me all the classics at an early age, which I loved. When I got a bit older and my brother started to become more of a friend than an enemy, he began showing me bands like Justice (in their heyday), Crystal Castles, and Toro Y Moi . But to be fair, both opened my eyes to great music I might have never heard otherwise.

    S: Has your taste in music changed over the years? Do you have any “guilty pleasure” albums? Any Ke$ha in your collection?

    Chloe: I think the closest artist to a “guilty pleasure” in my iTunes library would be La Roux. But to be honest there’s really no guilt tied to that pleasure , she has great songs!

    S: A lot of the tracks on the Sunday School EP are pretty dark, whether through the lyrics or the music itself (“I’m gonna love you till I’m dead / a place to lay my head”). What do you draw inspiration from? Are your songs autobiographical?

    Listen to “Kill the Light” by Kitten

    Chloe: I think there are always going to be bits of yourself in your writing. You can’t really help that. But I wouldn’t necessarily call my songs autobiographical, they’re more like a lot of  little ideas and images being put to music that usually seem to tie together in the end.

    S: Are you writing new songs? When can we expect a new release from Kitten? Maybe a full-length?

    Chloe: Yes! We’re actually in the middle of recording a full length right now  that will be released sometime in the fall.

    S: Being such a young starlet, and given how outrageous previous young female artist have been, is maintaining a strong female image important to you? Are there any strong women you’ve looked up to as a role model?

    Chloe: Strong men and women are the same to me. If I find someone that I feel is worth looking up too, they’re gender really doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be known as one of the greatest “female” musicians of all time , I want to be known as one the greatest musician’s of all time.

    S: This year has been pretty spectacular for Kitten–great performances at CMJ and SXSW with praise from everyone from MTV to Spin. Did you ever expect all of this when you first demoed your songs for Bill Racine? Did you think “these songs are gold”?

    Chloe: I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, it was just an EP and i’m glad its done well for us. I’m really excited for everyone to hear our full length and see how much we’ve grown.

    S: What has been the highlight of it all? Any point where you thought, “wow, I’ve made it” or is that yet to come?

    Chloe: Definitely yet to come. That said,  I’ve hit some goals that I wouldn’t think I’d meet until much later in life.

    S: Your video for “Chinatown” is really cool with its special effects. Tell me a bit about the video and the idea for it. Does it relate to the inspiration for the song?

    Chloe: Basically we were sent a couple different treatments, and the concept that ended up being the video was the one that really clicked with all of us. Bryan (the director) could tell you more about the effects.  As far as the band were concerned, we wanted something different visually and not what you would expect for the song.

    S: You’re about to head on tour with Brother and then Electric Six. Do you enjoy being out on the road? What are some of the best/worst parts? What do you plan to do about school?

    Chloe: I enjoy being on the road more than anything else in the entire world. I would spend all year touring if i could. The best part is simply devouring that energy from a crowd every single night and having such a luxury be your only responsibility. The worst part is having to wear the same pair of underwear two days in a row, sometimes..

    As far school goes, I homeschool online and it seems to be working well.

    S: Thanks so much, Chloe! I’m excited to see you at The Echo. Do me a favor and play “Apples and Cigarettes”!


  6. Interview with Dustin of The Fling

    June 16, 2011 by Steph

    I caught The Fling on FutureSound’s The Rumble Tour in May so of course when I was offered an interview with frontman Dustin, I was stoked. Their recent release When the Madhouses Appear is available now on Dangirbird Records and it it’s hot from start to finish. Somehow When the Madhouses Appear draws inspiration direct from the classics, and manages to stay fresh, with twangy guitar riffs, lots of cymbal, winding guitar solos and classic rock voice, often breaking into four-part harmonies. They certainly slot well among the psychedelic-rock alt-folk acts like Dawes and Delta Spirit and I’m excited to hear more from them in the coming months.

    Listen to “Wanderingfoot” by The Fling

    A Chat with Dustin…

    S: Dustin, you started out making music for The Fling as just a one-man project. What were you doing before The Fling? And did you always see The Fling becoming a five-piece?

    Dustin: I have been in bands since I was a teenager.  I was always the guitar player.  I’d write a guitar part, and have somebody else write a melody and lyrics over it.  To me, it was like making a painting and having somebody else give it color.  A lot of times the colors wouldn’t match and the painting would get distorted until you couldn’t even tell what it was originally supposed to be.  I kept getting tired of losing control over my ideas, so I started writing my own melodies and lyrics to keep myself happy.  I did a batch of home recordings and came to Long Beach with the idea of putting a band together.  Eventually we all sort of found each other and evolved into a five piece band with four main songwriters. (more…)


  7. Interview with Casey of LA’s Belize

    June 15, 2011 by Steph

    Belize

    Los Angeles project Belize will be releasing Tidal Tales from the Other Side on June 20th, 2011. Singer/songwriter Casey Curry is also a professional photographer in Los Angeles and he’s taken time out of his crazy schedule to chat about his new album, photographing Andrew W.K., and working with Frankie Siragusa in the studio.

    S: Starting with the name, what made you decide to dub your project Belize? Do you have any associations with the country?
    Casey: When writing and recording Tidal Tales, my goal was not just to create dynamic and evocative songs that would be compiled on a record, but to essentially create a score for the lives of my listeners. I geek out on space, and I love the ocean. In my opinion, Belize has some of the most inspiring oceanography one can encounter on this earth. The name of the band was not premeditated in any way, shape, or form. It is simply a result of the journey traveled while making the album.

    S: Your music draws influence from a lot of the classics like Brian Wilson, Nick Cave, and Pink Floyd. If you could chat with any musician, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
    (more…)


  8. Interview with Sleeper Agent

    May 31, 2011 by Steph

    Sleeper AgentSleeper Agent’s debut album Celabrasion has not stopped spinning since I received it in the mail less than a week ago. It will be out on Mom & Pop on August 16th and they just set out on a tour with Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra. If the above points aren’t enough to tell you that “these guys fucking rock,” then I’ll spell it out for you: their take-no-prisoners high-energy garage rock is only properly experienced at high volume and with repeat listens.

    I was recently given the opportunity to interview Sleeper Agent. No bullshit.

    S: First off, Sleeper Agent is a sextet, which is a pretty large group. How did you all meet? What’s the dynamic like?

    Sleeper Agent: A lot of us have been playing together or watching each other’s bands for years (as far back as 2004). Bands would crumble and I guess we’re the hodgepodge of a scene from yesteryear. Alex, joined in 2010. She’s from Ohio, we met her whilst she was opening for Sleeper Agent’s original lineup in 2008.

    S: Also, you all have nicknames–Tutone, Kidd, Keyser, Grizzlee, Saga, and Junior. How did those come about and do you go by those on a daily basis?

    SA: We don’t take ourselves too seriously and the nicknames have become a way of rib-poking each other (i.e, Alex is by far the youngest [Kidd], Tony plays with no pedals using only a clean or distorted channel [Tutone)]) Depending on our mood, we’ll interchange the real names and nicknames.

    S: You and Cage the Elephant are the only two bands I can think of from Bowling Green, KY. You’ve also toured with them quite a bit. Are you all close?

    SA: Justin, Tony and Scott have been stomping around with those guys since they were in Perfect Confusion. We consider them family.

    S: Are there any other bands in Bowling Green that we should know about?

    SA: Schools ( http://www.reverbnation.com/schools ). They’re on their way up. By far our favorite show to catch on break. We saw them four times on our last break.

    S: Some of my favorite bands have guy/girl duo vocals. When you started the band, was there anyone you were emulating or did you just think “we both have great voices, let’s both sing”? … (more…)


  9. A Sound Aside at Chain Reaction

    September 11, 2010 by Steph

    A Sound Aside

    So after seeing A Sound Aside play with Eye Alaska in June, I decided to make it out to Chain Reaction for their show on Friday, August 27th. I got to talk to the boys a bit before the show and they talked about recording some new demos and a possible West Coast tour this winter.

    Their set was great! The vocals were spot-on and so lovely. These guys are the kind of pop rock with a slight twang reminiscent of The Fray. However, don’t be quick to lob them into the adult contemporary genre because they’re strapping young men ready to rile up the pop rock scene. Even in a show with the great Lydia, they stood out and held their own. It won’t surprise me if they’re caught up on tours with bands like The Rocket Summer or The Summer Set soon.

    Check out one of my favorite songs of the night, “Perfect Thing To Say.”