Category: All Interviews
Shaky Knees 2014: Local Natives x Vinyl Mag
Local Natives graced us at Shaky Knees with their glorious presence on the final day of the fest, the last to play the Peachtree Stage before the day’s headliner, The Alabama Shakes. Luckily for us (and for you readers, actually), the band also graced us with an interview to discuss their too-short Shaky Knees experience, their favorite live song (and why they want to top it), as well as what’s coming for the band.
VM: I read that you said “Sun Hands” is the your favorite song to end every show. Why do you think that is? Do you think you will always end with that song?
Taylor Rice: “Sun Hands” is the song that we are able to completely let go and allow things to get completely unhinged. It’s a personal goal of mine to unseat it as our show closer as we’re writing our next album.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Kelcey Ayer: We were in Charlotte, NC on Record Store Day, and we heard Lunch Box Records was a sweet little spot to check out. When we got there however, there was a line of about a hundred people going out the door and down the street. Apparently Bruce Springsteen tweeted that he might go (he had the rival show in town), so it was rammed, on top of all the normal RSD madness. We tried and failed, but we tried just the same! F*cking Bruce Springsteen, man.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
TR: Alabama Shakes. I saw them play once at a German festival we played together last summer and was blown away by how great Brittany’s voice is live.
KA: I wish we had been there the whole weekend. Spoon played on Friday, and we’re all the biggest Spoon fans. We just got off a six-week tour, so we went on a little vacation afterwards that went right up until the Sunday we played.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
TR: At a festival, you’re dealing with this huge mass of kids before you who did not necessarily buy a ticket to see you play. There’s a willingness there, but they won’t just give it up for you; you have to win them over. I like feeling that edge in and amongst a big crowd.
KA: Festivals give you a chance to play in front of bunch of new people, so that’s fun to bring your A-game and try to prove yourself. I prefer regular shows though, because you get to have your own lights, all your own equipment (if you’re flying into a festival, you have to rent amps/drums you’ve never used before), you can play whatever you want instead of cater to a crowd who has never heard you; you basically get to put on, what you think in your head is, the perfect show. Our fans are there and on our side, and it just doesn’t get better than when you feel in absolute unity with the audience, and everyone is going ape-sh*t.
VM: You have a little over a week between Shaky Knees and your next show in Santa Barbara – what are your plans during that time?
KA: We’re trying to get our practice space in Los Angeles up and running again so we can start writing for the third record. I’m not sure how far we’ll get this week, but it helps that the next show is in Santa Barbara, so that’s super close to us.
TR: We’re making music, getting ourselves ready to bring another album out of the mist.
VM: How has response been to Hummingbird in comparision to response to Gorilla Manor – how are the albums different? Some bands consider their new material to be a continuation of the same sound, while others are constantly trying to evolve/experiment/change their sound – which mindset do you relate more to, and what is your writing process like?
TR: Hummingbird is a more intimate album. It was a very cathartic record to make for us, and deals with facing some existential crises we were going through; realizing that the music we make is now our full time job, long term relationships falling apart, and death. We relate more to feeling that our style and music is always evolving and changing. We have a constant need to push each other and ourselves to do something we’ve never done before. That’s all done within the small universe of who we are, so I’m sure there are lots of similarities between records.
KA: We definitely relate more to evolution. I think that’s pretty obvious when comparing the two albums; they were written in very different times in our lives, and we just look up to artists that don’t have a consistent sound. The Beatles, Bowie, Radiohead, Damon Albarn; guys like that, who find their genius by fucking with the formula. I love that. Comparing the responses between a debut record and a sophomore one seems like apples and oranges to me. On your first record, there is an excitement, because you’re a new band who no one has ever heard before, and they can’t compare it to anything you’ve done, because it’s the only thing you’ve done. But on the second album, everyone already has expectations and has the first record to compare it to. I think people weren’t expecting Hummingbird, so it threw some people off, since it’s a bit darker in content and sonically less ‘plug-in-and-play’ and more ‘plug-in-and-add-something-then-f*ck-with-it.’
VM: What is next for Local Natives?
KA: We’re doing a few smaller festivals over the summer, but the main focus is going to be trying to work on the third record. I’m over the moon about where we are in our career, in our heads, mentally, and just about overall life. I think that’s going to show on the record. It feels time to be happy again.
TR: It’s time to conjure another record out of ourselves, and we’re getting set up for that. We’ve already teased out a bunch of pieces.
Shaky Knees 2014: Blood Red Shoes x Vinyl Mag
After postponing our interview with Blood Red Shoes at Shaky Knees until after The Gaslight Anthem went on (none of us were willing to miss it), we finally met up with the band in the press tent.
The interview started off with Steven being in a bit of a “silly mood,” slow to take things seriously, but eventually (after a few “for f*ck’s sake” jabs from Laura) offering up some very insightful takes on the peculiarities of the industry. Ironically, while I was swooning over their accents, they declared that they love American accents, particularly the southern accent. After we wrapped up the interview, we moved to the artist bar, where Steven took over pouring drinks for a rather inebriated bartender and poured me a “proper English cocktail,” which in this case was a Newcastle tall boy.
VM: We heard that we delayed this interview so you all could see Gaslight Anthem, which I really appreciate, because I really didn’t want to miss Gaslight. I just went backstage illegally and met Brian Fallon, and it was the greatest moment of my life.
Steven Ansell: That’s the greatest moment of your life?
VM: Yes. I also met Glenn from Walking Dead when I was checking in.
SA: Have you ever sneezed four times in a row?
Laura-Mary Carter: You just met Glenn from Walking Dead? Is he here?!
VM: He’s here!
L-MC: What?!
VM: I was checking in at press, and I turned…
SA: Which one’s Glenn?
L-MC: You know, Glenn – the baseball guy.
SA: Aw, he’s a good guy. Can we get Glenn in the interview as well?
VM: He wouldn’t do it. I was like, ‘Can I get a picture?’ and he was like, ‘Really fast. Super secret.’
SA: Sorry, what are we doing? Who are you?
VM: I’m Emily from Vinyl Mag.
SA: Is it made out of vinyl? A magazine?
VM: Naw, it’s online.
SA: So, it’s not like a magazine, is it? You’re just a liar, really.
VM: It’s sort of an oxymoron –
SA: Don’t call me a f*cking moron…
VM: So, how was Gaslight?
L-MC: Yeah, it was great. We went on tour with them for couple of weeks, and we haven’t seen them since the tour.
VM: Have you met up and seen them?
L-MC: Yeah, we saw them earlier, but we were going to go say hey to them after this before we leave.
SA: I’m going to give them all a bit of a ‘noogie’ after this.
VM: A ‘noogie?’
SA: Yeah, where you get them in the headlock and then ‘err’ on the head.
VM: Are you going to do it to everybody?
L-MC: Definitely not the bassist, Alex.
SA: Definitely not Brian.
VM: Not Brian, why? Because he has perfect hair, and you don’t want to mess it up?
SA: Something like that. Also, last time I tried, he just got really upset. The rest of them could deal with it; he couldn’t. It’s obviously not his thing.
VM: How has response been to the album, Blood Red Shoes?
SA: So far, fairly bad.
VM: Fairly bad?
L-MC: No, Steve!
SA: Alright, sorry. I’m just in a really silly mood.
L-MC: I know!
SA: Can you ask [Laura]?
VM: [To Laura] Alright, how has response been?
L-MC: It’s been really good actually, because it’s kind of a raw record. It’s much heavier than our last ones, and it’s been cool. I think people really like it live, and it’s really nice. I think more younger people are coming to our shows.
VM: Why did you choose this one to be a self-titled, because I usually think of that as the first album? Did you feel like it was the most representative of your sound?
L-MC: Yeah, it’s basically that. Like, we’ve made three records, and this one was sort of like, we know what we’re doing; we know our sound, and we completely recorded it and self-produced it.
VM: Yeah, I read that you did it all yourself.
L-MC: We didn’t think of a name; we just didn’t really come up with a name, and we just thought that meant it should just be Blood Red Shoes, because it really is. It was just us in a concrete room in Berlin; we wrote and recorded it.
VM: Did you already know how to do all that, like producing, or did you just decide you wanted to do it and learn?
L-MC: Well, early on, we recorded our first ever seven inches, and during that time we got more equipment. Steve was a sound guy – believe it or not – before this, so he’s quite technical.
VM: [To Steven] You’re a very professional guy?…we need liner notes for this interview, just to describe everything that’s happening [referring Steven’s antics].
VM: So, why Berlin?
L-MC: Because we play in Germany a lot; Berlin’s a cool place, and we wanted to get out of the UK. We wanted to get out of Brighton, and we just looked up places we could get, just rooms we could set up our gear and write and just be in a different environment. That was the one that came back; they still had space there that we could rent for cheap and make loud noises. It’s a cheap places and cool place to hang out, and there’s a lot of history of music that’s been made there. It just seemed right.
VM: This is just me wondering, because Record Store Day was recently- did you get anything cool for Record Store Day, or did you guys do anything?
L-MC: Did we do anything for Record Store Day?
SA: Yeah, I played at 4 p.m.
L-MC: We did something. When was it? I can’t remember now.
VM: It was a month ago, maybe not even a month.
SA: We were in Holland at a festival.
L-MC: That was it.
VM: Did you buy any records, like of the Record Store Day releases?
SA: No, absolutely not.
L-MC: I didn’t buy a record and, to be fair, I do buy a lot of records in general. Record Store Day – I feel like it’s every week…but I always support independent record shops.
SA: I feel like we should all be honest about Record Store Day, shouldn’t we? I like the idea of Record Store Day; I like the idea that it’s about supporting independent record shops. There are some really great ones that have died in Brighton, but what’s happening with Record Store Day is now it’s turned into this thing where our record label calls us and says, ‘what are we going to do for Record Store Day?’ At that point you’re saying to yourself, ‘am I putting a piece of music out because it’s a good piece of music and people need to hear it, or because it’s Record Store Day?’ Then every f*cking major label and every sh*t band that you don’t care about is making something, because it’s Record Store Day. Now it feels like it’s about product, and just throw out any old sh*t.
VM: Supply and demand and all that.
SA: It’s because everyone thinks Record Store Day is cool. I feel like, as a musician, you have to be really aware of the fact that what you put out needs to actually matter and need to be out. We write a lot; we jam all the time. We could throw out a tape of us rehearsing and jamming on a song and be like, ‘hey, Record Store Day. Here’s a half-finished piece of sh*t jam.’ But we put it on vinyl, so it’s cool on Record Store Day and makes people think it’s special, but it’s bullsh*t. So, Record Store Day is a weird thing. I think, on one hand I understand and want to support record shops that have been supportive of bands like us and actually do pretty good music, but on the other side, it’s been polluted massively by people just saying, ‘let’s throw any old crap, because people will buy it’…there’s something about it that doesn’t sit right.
L-MC: I think, for us, we always buy from independent record stores anyway, and if we’re going to buy something, make it right. We do our bit, but when it comes to Record Store Day, I don’t go out and buy records. I could do that anyway.
VM: How do you think American crowds differ from crowds in England? We interviewed Charli XCX and PEACE, and they both said British crowds were more subdued, and American crowds were much crazier.
L-MC: I think American crowds are very vocal. Even when we play here to 10 people at some shows, they’ll still be really loud. You would not get that back home; it would just be really awkward, and when you finish the song it just feels weird. Even with 10 people, I feel like people really appreciate it and are vocally loud. It’s a good feeling. You can’t deny that that makes a difference. If people are just there, they might enjoy it the same, but when they’re more vocal, it makes you feel up for it.
SA: There’s nothing worse than when you play your heart out, and – it might be a small show – everyone just stands there. We had that in England. We played for 15 people, and they sat there. They might have even really loved it, but they don’t really show it. They’re so reserved in England. Everywhere, so far, we’ve been in America and North America, if people like you, you f*cking know about it. You really know about it, because they’re going crazy already. They don’t care if no one else is dancing. You’ll get one guy that’s insane who will by himself, and he doesn’t care because he’s having a good time. For us, that’s amazing; to go to a place where no one knows us. We’re going to play better; the whole night will be better.
VM: I think that would be much more inspiring.
SA: It is much more inspiring. It sounds lame, like we’re trying to be like, ‘oh him, we’re in America, we love America,’ but it’s f*cking true. People are definitely less reserved, and if they like something or feel like you’re more comfortable with the show, I guess you’re less reserved about it. In England, unfortunately, people really hold themselves back. No one must be the first one to dance. No one must be the first to go, ‘actually, I really like this.’
VM: Are you like that at shows, or are you the dancing guys?
L-MC: I think we like to headbang and actually move. I wouldn’t say that I’m very vocal; I always cheer at the end loud, but it’s not like I shout stuff.
VM: Who did you get to see here?
L-MC: We went and saw Band of Skulls. We saw a bit of White Denim, Foals, and Gaslight Anthem.
SA: Cage the Elephant. We got to see a lot…where’d you guys get here from?
VM: Athens, Georgia. It’s like an hour and half…
SA: That’s where the B-52’s are from!
VM: I know!
SA: We were talking about this. We were like, ‘what’s in Georgia?’ The only thing we heard of was some specific type of barbecue food. It’s different regionally, yeah?
VM: We’re very proud of our barbecue.
SA: You have more of a vinegar sauce. Is that right?
VM: It’s sort of like ketchup and vinegar. South Carolina has mustard. North Carolina has straight vinegar.
SA: Yeah, right. There’s a regional thing for barbecue sauce. I knew that, and then Athens, Georgia has the B-52’s. I like REM, but B-52’s!
VM: We’re proud. What do you like about playing festivals as opposed to regular shows?
L-MC: I think just the atmosphere is cool, getting to see other bands, and when you tour all the time, you don’t get to see many friends, and you get to know lots of bands. So, it’s a nice kind of community when you come to play festivals, because you can play a show. You can try and cover people – it’s like your band as well, because it’s new people, so that’s a challenge. Then you can hang out with your friends that you haven’t seen since last year’s festival, and you get to see other music, which is inspiring. You kind of need to see other stuff.
SA: Yeah, it’s healthy to be in a place where you’re not just dealing with your own band.
L-MC: Yeah, it gets you more inspired, and you learn something.
VM: Tell us more about your current tour.
L-MC: Well, we’re at day three.
SA: Day three. So far, what’s happened? I am going to go to the hospital in the morning – liver failure, acute liver failure. I’ve had too many shots.
VM: But you’re waiting until tomorrow, though?
SA: Well, you know, always try to sleep it off. I don’t like to unnecessarily cause a fuss and call the doctor.
VM: But you’re anticipating that you will have to.
SA: Probably, yes.
L-MC: I’m not taking you there, so you can get there on your own.
SA: Well, you do everything bigger and harder in the states, don’t you? Those shots I’ve been doing – much bigger than the UK. You have big everything here. Really, freaking me out.
L-MC: It’s been so cool so far. We get to go to places we’ve never been, like we’re going to Salt Lake City. Tomorrow we’re going to Richmond, Virginia.
SA: Yeah, we’ve never been this far south.
VM: Really, do you like it?
SA: Actually, yeah.
VM: We’re friendly.
L-MC: Really like the accent.
SA: We played Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday, and at that point it was the furthest south we had ever been. Everyone was really friendly there; I’m noticing a tendency.
VM: Southern hospitality.
SA: Yeah, people are really warm.
VM: Besides the tour, what is next for you guys afterwards? Are you writing on tour?
L-MC: We do a little bit, but not so much. It’s hard on this tour, because there’s so much driving. We are going back home, and then we’re going straight into festivals basically, all in Europe.
VM: You’re doing Reading and Leeds, right?
L-MC: Yes.
VM: [You’re playing] a couple slots away from Jimmy Eat World, and that’s awesome.
SA: Touch my hand, and I’ll touch one of those guys’ hands for you.
VM: Oh, I’ve met them twice. I’m a stalker.
SA: I was going to try and be nice and say, ‘you touch my hand, and I’ll touch their hand, and then it’s connected.’
VM: Well, you touch my hand, and I’ve already touched their hand, so I have connected them to you. You didn’t even get to meet them though. You should. They’re cool.
SA: That’s cool, because now I don’t have to put in the effort. I don’t have to go knock on their door and say hello or any of that stuff.
VM: You don’t even have to go. You can just say, ‘dude, I’ve done it.’
SA: ‘I met a girl in Georgia; it’s fine.’
VM: Yeah, don’t tell them that. I think I freaked them out.
SA: Did you…???
VM: I did! And I don’t do that very often, but there are like two bands that I would [lose my cool with]. Yeah, I was not cool at all.
SA: The only person I ever got weird with that we’ve ever met as a band was one of the guys in Smashing Pumpkins. We met in New York once, and Laura was totally cool as f*ck.
L-MC: He just came into our dressing room.
SA: He just showed up in our dressing room.
VM: Oh, really?! So he came to you.
L-MC: Yeah, he was at our show, and he just came in the dressing room. I turned around, and it was him.
VM: [To Laura] And you were totally cool?
SA: It was James Iha, the guitar player.
L-MC: I’ve been emailing him ever since. Actually, I haven’t in a while, but we were.
SA: But he showed up; Laura’s super cool.
L-MC: Yeah, I love that band, but I never got obsessed.
SA: I like that band, too. Usually, as I’m sure you can imagine, I’m just being a little c*cky d*ckhead to anyone who helps me, even if they’re in a band I love. Smashing Pumpkins, I really loved when I was a teenager. I literally looked at him and was just like, ‘you’re in the Smashing Pumpkins band!’
VM: That’s exactly what I do.
L-MC: I would do that if it was someone like Courtney Love. I’ve had three chances to say something to her.
SA: You could’ve. She had a dressing room almost next door to us.
L-MC: Yeah I went in, but she wasn’t in there.
SA: Physically she was, but mentally, there’s nothing in there.
L-MC: I just thought sometimes you just shouldn’t meet your f*cking heroes.
VM: I agree with you on that.
L-MC: I think she might be one of those.
SA: Yeah, I’d be scared to meet Iggy Pop, because he’d probably break my heart. He’d probably just be like, ‘have you seen today’s papers?’ He might be really boring.
Shaky Knees 2014: The Whigs x Vinyl Mag
If you follow us on social media, you already know we pretty much had a blast of a time at Shaky Knees this past weekend. But aside from seeing an impressive amount of impressively talented artists, we also got to talk to a few of them (impressed?).
Fellow Athens natives, The Whigs, played the festival Friday afternoon at the Ponce de Leon stage at Atlantic Station and then turned around the next day and played beloved East Atlanta venue/bar The EARL. In April, the band released their fifth studio album, Modern Creation, and is currently touring the album. See them. After you read this interview, duh.
VM: You recently played the Late Show with David Letterman and also had a video on Conan – awesome. How do you get those gigs/how was it?!
Parker: We’ve been fortunate to have some sweet opportunities with the release of our new album, Modern Creation. Conan debuted the “Hit Me” music video, and the Late Show had us on to perform the song live. Both were thrilling and an honor.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Parker: Yeah!!! Purchased Duke Ellington, James Brown, Andre Previn piano records and a sealed Phil Spector Collection vinyl at Wuxtry Records in Athens.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
Parker: I got to see a little bit of Charles Bradley and Band Of Skulls on Friday. I stayed in Atlanta the whole weekend and was super excited to see The Replacements and Modest Mouse but didn’t get to see either unfortunately.
VM: Why didn’t you get to see [them]?
Parker: I missed their sets, because I was loading in equipment and sound checking for our late night show at the Earl in East Atlanta.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
Parker: It’s fun to see buddies from other bands at festivals. It’s also a nice setting to get turned on to a new group. I wouldn’t say I prefer either to the other.
VM: You are playing Shaky Knees Friday and then The EARL, also in ATL, on Saturday. Two very different Atlanta experiences two nights in a row. Was there a reason you wanted to play the festival there and then a smaller venue?
Parker: The opportunity arose for us to rock both occasions, and we were psyched. Definitely an opportunity to tailor a performance to two radically different environments.
VM: What was different about the performances?
Parker: The EARL show was definitely more intimate, and we began and ended the set with different songs than at the festival performance. Showcased a few more songs from Modern Creation and got back to our roots with some older Whigs songs. We also did an encore at the EARL which featured a slight costume change to coincide with a David Bowie cover.
VM: As a fellow Athenian, how would you say that Athens has influenced your sound?
Parker: The Glands, R.E.M, Elephant Six Collective, and later the Drive By Truckers were some of our biggest models on and off stage. The Athens scene inspired us to want to create instantly entertaining music with conceptual depth.
VM: Compare the Athens music scene to the Atlanta music scene. How is the Athens music scene unique from any other?
Parker: I’d say they’re both eclectic with Atlanta’s being understandably larger. I’m personally more in tune with the eclecticism of Athens’ bands over Atlanta’s, with a few exceptions. I haven’t spent a substantial amount of local time in all the other scenes, so I can’t speculate on what differentiates Athens from everywhere else.
VM: How has response been to Modern Creation?
Parker: I’d say it’s been generally positive.
VM: I LOVE the album cover – can you tell me about it? Who came up with it?
Parker: We were doing an photo shoot, and I asked someone on the set to snap a photo of us with my iPhone. The image was cool, and when we were brainstorming album cover ideas, I sent the photo to the band. Tim relayed his idea of framing the photo with a skull to Julian, who made the vision a reality.
VM: Who does most of the writing/what is the process like?
Parker: I’ll write song ideas and bring them into band practice where we’ll jam and see which ones gel. As we hone arrangements and structures, we’ll see which songs survive over the course of an album cycle. The most durable jams get the anointed finished lyrics, which I write with guidance from Tim and Julian if I get stuck or have questions on direction, clarity, etc.
VM: In three words, describe your sound to someone who has never heard you.
Parker: Raw, real, rock.
VM: What is next for The Whigs?
Parker: Tour!
Tour Dates:
MAY 15 RADIO RADIO INDIANAPOLIS, IN
MAY 16 DOUBLE DOOR CHICAGO, IL
MAY 17 OFF BROADWAY ST LOUIS, MO
MAY 24 16TH STREET MALL DENVER, CO
JUN 12 FITZGERALD’S (DOWNSTAIRS) HOUSTON, TX
JUN 13 RED 7 AUSTIN, TX
JUN 14 ELM STREET MUSIC AND TATTOO FESTIVAL DALLAS, TX
JUN 15 STICKYZ ROCK’N’ROLL CHICKEN SHACK LITTLE ROCK, AR
JUN 18 DULING HALL JACKSON, MS
JUN 19 WORKPLAY THEATRE BIRMINGHAM, AL
JUN 20 HI-TONE CAFE MEMPHIS, TN
JUN 21 MERCY LOUNGE NASHVILLE, TN
JUN 25 WFPK WATERFRONT WEDNESDAY LOUISVILLE, KY
JUL 26 BRAGG JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL MACON, GA
SXSW 2014: The Modern Electric x Vinyl Video
After running into Black Taxi at The Blind Pig in downtown Austin at South by Southwest, we were introduced (OMG passive voice – I’m so sorry, Mrs. Browning) to their friends and fellow musicians, The Modern Electric. We took advantage of this newly formed relationship and decided to do an(other) impromptu interview in the alley outside.
Check out the video below where we talk to The Modern Electric about their South by Southwest experience, their music and Matthew’s mysterious black eye.
In the words of everyone in Black Taxi, “these guys are going to be huge.”
P.S. I’m not preggers, I’m wearing a fanny pack. Yes.
Future Death x Vinyl Mag
Austin-based band, Future Death comes to life (ironic, seeing as how they recorded their album in a funeral home)! The band will be releasing their debut album, Special Victim, on May 27 on Bloodmoss Records. SV portrays a punk persona sure to make its listener heated with energy.
The band is composed of Alton Jenkins, Bill Kenny, Jeremy Humphries on bass and Angie Kang on vocals. Their first two singles have been described as “controlled chaos” as well as “bright.” The band mostly embodies a punk sound, but Kang’s feminine vocals soften the tone while also enhancing the passion. Most listeners would consider punk music to sound a little cynical, but Future Death’s first two singles, “Basements” and “Riot Trains” are equally crazy and just genuinely fun.
Vinyl Mag: Where does the name Future Death come from?
Bill Kenny [guitarist]:It’s actually an homage to The Flaming Lips, but the meaning I guess is pretty self-explanatory. Life, I guess. As much as I’d like to leave it to interpretation, I guess you could say its really about inevitability.
VM:. It seems as if not all the members of the band have known each other from the start. How have you guys come together to form Future Death, and how do you continue to balance roles?
BK: I had found a video of Alton playing drums on a friend’s Facebook page with a message saying that he was looking for a project. Got his number, we played one day. The next day, about 20 minutes into playing, we decided that this was something and we should start writing songs. Alton had known Jeremy Humphries from previous projects and happened to run into him the day he moved back to Austin while we were looking for a bass player. Over the next few months, we continued writing and recording what would be the S/T EP that came out last October. We had finished tracking the S/T record and were writing songs that would later be on Special Victimwhen we found Angie through a Craigslist post after trying out multiple vocalists. She sat in on a practice, and we immediately went to my place and started demo-ing vocals. For the most part, since day 1, everything has happened very organically without any of us really having to talk about what we’re doing much. It’s really based around letting the impulses out, which leads to a very fluid and collaborative process. It doesn’t hurt that we’re always blowing each other away with what’s brought to the table.
VM: As a new band, what are some challenges you have encountered in making your new album, Special Victim? What do you hope to establish with the album?
BK:As far as challenges, there haven’t been many in regards to producing the material. The more challenging part in my opinion was trying to simultaneously write and at the same, get to know each other. We all come from different places, but we’re all invested and ready to continue to move forward as fast as possible.
Angie Kang [singer]: The day after our debut EP release show, we drove up to Dallas to record the album. We recorded in four days during a storm that flooded the recording studio where we were planning to sleep. I had a sore throat, so I had quite a bit of anxiety since it was my first time in a real studio. It’s not anything to lament about though, because it was so fun and the album turned out great. We can’t wait to get back to the studio to record again. I hope it reaches as many people as possible so that we can tour and play live.
VM: Your sound has been described as “controlled chaos.” Do you find that different styles come out in your work? If so, how do you incorporate the different styles. Specifically, which bands or songwriters inspire you?
BK: It’s controlled in the sense that while there is this very busy, sometimes angular element happening, there’s a pop sensibility which I think we all have. This also makes producing material a painless and fast experience. Like I said, we don’t have to talk about the actual music, because I believe that we’re just on the same page. We’re very fortunate. There’s never a concrete idea when we go into something. We rely on impulses and even sometimes accidents to inspire or ignite new ideas, which keeps us challenging ourselves without it being a chore. It’s much more exciting when it just happens naturally.
>Alton Jenkins [drummer]: One of my favorite songs for the longest time is “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin. I’d say my drumming is heavily inspired by melody and lots of movement and expression, opposed to being a constant anchor for the other instrumentation. Or maybe I’m using that as an excuse to mask my general hyperactivity. Regardless, I think we’re collectively trying make “new” music but without straining ourselves in the process.
>AK: We all have different tastes in music, which lends itself to the chaos, because we all write our own parts. I just like anything that sounds raw. I have a techno side project called Rare Species and DJ as Baby Bones. I grew up outside of Detroit, so that’s been a big part of my influences.
VM: There is so much energy in your music! What are some typical Future Death rituals before performing?
BK: We practice and rehearse a lot, as well as record every second of everything we do. So when it comes to performing, its just another day in the space.
AJ: Water, bananas…and about 10 minutes before a performance I typically get, only mildly, agitated, uncharacteristically less talkative and withdrawn with my demeanor and try to keep distance. It’s something that developed naturally even when I started drumming at 17. I think it’s my way to channel whatever emotion/energy I was feeling when writing the songs originally. OTHERWISE I’m very kind, social and love to be with people, friends, whoever.
AK: We do what Snoop Dogg does.
VM: This kind of music can really incite some high emotions. How did your audience respond at South by Southwest? Any extreme – positive or negative – reactions?
BK: We did get a lot of great feedback – no negative responses. SXSW is so saturated and busy, the best you can really hope for as a new band is that they remember who you were. There’s just so much going on, we really just try to enjoy being a part of it and hope to reach out to new people.
AJ: A lot of energy is projected in our performance. For the people who hear us for the first time, I’ve noticed an introspective and focused, sometimes confused look on their face. For those who are familiar with us, it appears obvious who they are; tend to freak out/mosh and ride whatever wave we’re on at the moment. It’s cool to know someone’s perception of what they’re listening to has changed from start to the end of our set. These are things people have expressed to me, post show. And I can relate.
AK: We met a lot of people who have been supporting us since we really started putting our material out there, specifically our friends at Portals who put on an excellent showcase of their favorite artists. Right after we played the last note, everyone started bugging out to Future’s “Move That Dope.”
VM: What was it like playing at SXSW, given the fact that you guys are already Austin-based? Is it still such a surprise to find the growing number of participants taking over your town? How do you think the festival has changed over the years?
AJ: Playing SXSW, to me, is always awesome. It’s a rare chance to meet and witness bands from around the world that you’d otherwise not get a chance to see so easily. It’s a cool time to connect with strangers, which makes it easier to book tours that are more suitable with artists you enjoy. So it’s not a surprise to see more people flock here each year. The entire city jams up, and there’s a show/party happening in every building and every house on every corner. It’s nuts. A lot of locals, and some bands, leave town to avoid the madness. But I’m into to. One thing I’ve seen change over the years at SXSW is the increase in corporate presence. There’s even a 50 foot tall Dorito’s bag downtown that sponsors a mega event with really well known artists. I’m cool with it. Because even though that’s there, I can still easily disappear to DIY and/or unofficial shows that I’m more familiar with and can afford.
AK: We played three unofficial shows, because all of us had to work that week. That’s the paradox of living in Austin during SXSW; there’s so much business brought to the city that your day jobs usually need you to work extra hours. It’s always nice to see your friends come to town, so you want to have some time to hang out. I took it easy this year and was quite grateful the week after.
VM: Did any of you have any “weird” Austin moments at SXSW?
AJ: I met Lady Gaga for 2.5 seconds. Her friend/bodyguard? was dressed like Wonder Woman. I also got to jam on this life sized cell phone beat-making app called “KEEZY” with Reggie Watts. It was totally sporadic and unintentional. I was finding myself in a lot of strange situations between playing Future Death shows. Mostly just running into and spending time with artists that I really like, which isn’t particularly “weird.” But was unique to my SXSW experience.
AK: I went to a New York vs. Texas underground boxing match where Mobb Deep and Mike Jones performed. It was so far away from downtown that only about 40 people showed up. Everyone was yelling at the DJ, because he kept screwing up; it was so funny.
VM: What are Future Death’s future plans?
BK: Right now we’re getting ready for the release of Special Victim May 27 and lining up a tour for this summer. Again, we’re such a new band and have only been able to play Texas. The following months will see a lot of Future Death touring the country. We have release shows in Brooklyn in May, then hope to be on tour within the next couple months.
VM: What advice can you give to bands or songwriters that are just developing?
BK: Well, focus on your craft. And give in to your impulse. Its usually the more exciting thing you have kicking around anyway….
AJ: Create music for yourself primarily. That’s it. The rest of the “stuff” can come into place if you hope to make a career out of being an artist. But if that doesn’t work out, at least you can be happy with and totally relate to what you’ve made as an artist.
AK: Work with people who have mutual respect for you.
Kill the Music interviews Vinyl Mag Founder Emily McBride
Vinyl Mag’s Founder/Editor/Creative Director/Woman of Mystery Emily McBride recently did an interview with our affiliate friends over at Kill the Music to talk about how she got started, the most difficult parts about the industry and advice for people trying to break in. Check it out here!
Emily interviewing Charli XCX at SXSW 2014:
SXSW 2014: Black Taxi x Vinyl Video
We ran into our friends from Black Taxi at South by Southwest this year – in total honesty, I heard their music playing while I was outside conducting another interview, and once I wrapped that one up, I quickly ran to follow the sound and catch BT’s show at The Blind Pig.
After their show, we caught up with the guys and decided to do a quick impromptu interview to get the scoop on their new album (“guitar everywhere!”) , their new drummer and to find out if they actually went to that abandoned asylum we talked about after our last interview. Enjoy!
SXSW 2014: Two Cow Garage x Vinyl Video
We caught up with Two Cow Garage at South by Southwest this year to talk about their album The Death of the Self-Preservation Society, their Indiegogo Campaign, their thoughts on audio formats, and their revolutionary new use for feral cats. These guys are the bomb.
SXSW 2014: Rebecca & Fiona x Vinyl Video
We snuck into the upstairs at the Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin at South by Southwest for our interview Rebecca & Fiona, two kick-ass DJs all the way in from Stockholm, Sweden.
Check out the Vinyl Video below where I nod too much, and we talk about Rebecca & Fiona’s music, their problem with being called “female DJs” and their plans after South by. BTW, they made their jackets. Made them. These ladies are so cool.
Also, be sure to catch Rebecca & Fiona’s newest album, Beauty is Pain, out now!!
May 01 Bassmnt w/ Nause San Diego, CA
May 02 Tenw/ Nause Calgary, Canada
May 03 The Midw/ Nause Chicago, IL
May 08 SUTRAw/ Nause Costa Mesa, CA
May 09 Marqueew/ Nause Las Vegas, NV
May 10 New City Gasw/ Nause Montreal, Canada
May 30 Brännbollsyran Umea, Sweden
Jun 13 Summerburst Stockholm, Sweden
Jul 13 EDC UK Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Aug 23 Creamfields Liverpool, United Kingdom
SXSW 2014: Misun x Vinyl Mag
LA-based Misun met with us at South by Southwest to talk about their music (self-described as “spaghetti soul-dance”), their South by Southwest experience, leprosy from armadillos and Jon’s caffeine addiction. Check out our interview below, and then be sure to catch these guys on tour — they are truly, uniquely, awesome.
Vinyl Mag: So how have you guys been liking Austin besides the traffic issues? You’ve been here before, haven’t you?
Misun Wojcik [vocals/lyrics/keys]: I have not.
Jon Jester [drums]: Two of us have.
VM: Well welcome to the little blue dot in a big red state!
MW: It’s cool. We like it so far.
VM: It’s a unique place! I just moved here, so I’m getting my bearings on it all as well. Well, to start out, could you maybe tell me a little about yourselves and what roles you play within the group and what you bring to Misun?
William Devon [bass/keys]: I play bass, and that’s my role. I dance onstage [laughing], and style icon.
MW: “Diva” is a word we like to use.
Andrew Wallace [aka Nacey, guitar/production]: I play guitar, and I produce our tracks.
MW: I do vocals, lyrics, keys…
VM: And really cool hairstyles – I wish I could create that. Except the wind outside will destroy it in one second.
MW: Yeah! You should have seen it before! If you think this is nice…
JJ: I play the drums. And that’s what I do. I make sure we get from A to B. I’m addicted to caffeine, but not coffee.
MW: But not coffee.
VM: But you like the Crystal Light type of caffeine?
JJ: Yeah, the weird caffeine. I’m into these caffeine packs now that are essentially what you would have in a sugar-free Monster, but it comes in this little packet, and it’s really cheap.
MW: He makes it really yummy-looking, and it is, but it’s fat.
JJ: It’s poison, really. It is.
WD: Everyday, he picks us up with the same big cupful of his [laughing].
MW: Is this too much, Jon? [Laughing]
Will: All of our interviews are going to be like this [laughing]. Jon is the caffeine crack head.
MW: Jon has a problem.
VM: But he likes his caffeine artificially created, like chemically…
JJ: Exactly. The stronger, the better.
VM: Okay, so your music is super upbeat, but chill. I almost feel like it has a reggae vibe to it. When you’re creating music, creating a track, what is your focus? When you’re approaching it, what is your goal for how the music will turn out? Do you go in with an end goal in mind? Or do you just have it organically develop?
WD: I think it’s pretty organic every time. We don’t even really know what our sound is yet in some ways. We just know that…sometimes, it’s just based off of what we’ve been listening to, influenced by something a little bit, and we’ll just kind of roll with it in that direction.
VM: I read something about how you guys were influenced by Quentin Tarantino? So, how has Tarantino – also, what other art forms like music, film, writing – come into your work and influenced what you create?
MW: Some of the dance-heavy stuff is….what would you say the influence is?
AW: We’ve been DJs for a long time, so we’ve been into dance music for a long time. But it’s not… I feel like every single one of us pretty much like everything, so if we’re listening to rock music, we might start writing rock music.
JJ: Yeah, it’s cool not having…. like if you’re in a rock band, or if you’re in a hip hop band, you kind of stay within those lines. And I don’t think we have those lines. Those lines for us are…
MW: Ever-expanding. We would be bored if we couldn’t do different music all the time.
VM: If you could summarize your genre, what would you say? Sum up what you are in a couple of words.
MW: Well pop’s in there, for sure. Rock, for sure. Rock, pop, soul-dance.
VM: I like that! Soul-dance.
MW: Spaghetti soul-dance [laughing].
JJ: And that’s where the Tarantino can probably be heard. A lot of his guitar lines. Kind of twangy, western-y guitar vibe. Like Pulp Fiction and all of those. And what was the other? Did Kill Bill have a lot of that with the trill-y?
VM: So you secretly want to be in a Western? A Tarantino Western?
MW: Yeah, he is a cowboy, for sure.
VM: That’s awesome. Do you like any of the psychedelic Westerns? Like Dead Man with Johnny Depp? Austin’s a great place if you’re into Westerns, then!
MW: Exactly, what we want to get out of this city – but we won’t have the chance – we want to see Texas Texas. Like, ‘tumbleweed Texas.’ And I bet you there’s a lot of them, based on the wind outside.
VM: I’m pretty sure I saw a tumbleweed when I was driving over here, which kind of freaked me out.
JJ: Have you seen an armadillo yet?
VM: No, I haven’t.
JJ: It just looks like a little armored rat. On the side of the road.
MW: Are they dangerous?
VM: I think they carry leprosy…
All: What?!?
VM: Like if you touch it, you can catch leprosy!
MW: You’re joking.
JJ: Is there a cure for leprosy now?
VM: Yeah, antibiotics or something. I just would prefer not to catch leprosy!!
JJ: Yeah, and that’s how Misun ended up in in a leper colony.
MW: Someone needs to write a song about that [laughing]. Could you imagine if someone got leprosy out here? Like, ‘how was South By?’ ‘It was fun; we all caught leprosy.’
VM: What are your plans for after South By and moving forward throughout the year? Any projects you’re super pumped about working on?
MW: We’ve got a few shows lined up on the West Coast, and –
JJ: It’s really our first tour, too. We’re going to the Pacific Northwest. Middle of May, we’re going to… what is it – Everett, Washington? Something called Fisherman’s Village Music Festival there.
MW: We’re also playing in Oregon.
JJ: Yeah, a couple in Portland, a couple North West states. It’s all between the 12th and 17th of May, sometime in there. And then we’re playing the Echoplex March 22 – that’s an official after-South-by show. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to the Echoplex, but it’s a great venue, I’m super pumped on that.
AW: We’re playing Hard Rock City again, going down to San Diego for that show.
MW: I think the hope is that we make more music this year and keep touring. Build awareness, and have fun. We love writing so much; we want to be able to do that as much as possible…we’re based out of LA, and we all moved from DC.
AW: We made that move about four months ago.
VM: How are you liking LA?
MW: Loooooooove.
JJ: On a day like today, it’s like, ‘wow, I miss LA, nice sunny weather.’
MW: Yeah, I miss LA. But seriously, the vegetables – the prices on fresh produce is just unbelievable. DC will rob you, you know, for a cucumber.
JJ: Although if you buy a 30-pack of beer, you’re paying $1.50 for the CRV tax in California, because they charge you about five cents a can.
MW: But, see, the wine is less, so I win.
VM: How did you guys get together to collaborate and become a group?
WD: We’ve kind of always done music, and we kind of all just started working together, and it just kind of naturally happened. I don’t think we originally had intentions of creating a band, and music just started coming and we thought, ‘let’s go for it.’ And then we met Jon.
MW: Yeah, it was definitely weird. There was a point where we were like, ‘are we a band?’ because before that, we were just kind of playing around.
JJ: Misun opened for a band that I was playing with at the time. It was in DC; I’d been in LA off and on for a while, living there, and when I saw them play, it was just the three of them without a drummer, and it was legit. I mean, I was really floored. I mean, I had heard of the band, but I had never seen them or really listened to them, and you know, saw her, and I grabbed Andrew after the show, and was just like, ‘look man, even if it’s not me, I think you guys really need a drummer, and I’ll throw my hat in the ring.’
VM: So you just went out there and were like, ‘I want to join’?
JJ: I mean, I’ve been doing this for awhile, and maybe a month or so later, Misun reached out to me and was like, ‘how’s this all feeling? In terms of friends, and do you want to do this?’ and I had already decided to move to LA, and we started playing together in March of last year, so it’s been about a year…
MW: And he’s incredible. We had like little tryouts for other drummers, and boy was it tough, but this was just like [clap] bam!
AW: And the band he was playing with was like electronic, so he has this whole system, and he triggers samples with his drum set, and for us, we do so much electronic stuff, he just educated us on how that works.
JJ: And I fought it. I was forced into that world, because I used to have long hair, and I wanted to just rock. I just wanted to hit things as hard as I could and then all of a sudden, then this other band was like giving me these electronics, and I was like, ‘this isn’t what I want to do.’
VM: It becomes scientific, almost.
JJ: It used to be you just show up, and you’ve got your sticks and your wood, and then all of a sudden I’ve got all these wires and things, and I fought it. Now I look back, and I’m like, ‘thank God those guys made me do that switch.’ Because when I met Misun, I was like, ‘I already know how to do this, here it is,’ and it just worked.
MW: Yeah, we didn’t even know something like that existed at all.
JJ: Sometimes, you know, you fight against what you think is not what you want to do, and then all of a sudden it turns out to be the perfect situation. I’ve been reflecting on that a lot over the past year. On how that all just…
VM: How that perfectly worked out!
JJ: Yeah. Like, maybe we’re onto something in this band.
MW: It’s like eating your vegetables. You don’t want to do it, but it’s good for you. But I do like my vegetables.
JJ: We’re very healthy!
VM: Yeah! You have your green juice – I was going to get y’all a drink, but Odwalla is probably a better strategy…
JJ: We’ll come back and meet you after our show and take you up on that.