Category: All Interviews
Shaky Knees Founder Tim Sweetwood x Vinyl Mag
For the second year in a row thousands of rock & roll fans will flock to the heart of Atlanta for the Shaky Knees Festival. The weekend-long musical extravaganza kicks off Friday, May 9th and features plenty of must-see musicians. The anatomically unstable festival is not without its changes though. 2014 brings with it a new location and a new lineup. Coming off an extraordinary first year that featured performances from Band of Horses, Delta Spirit, and Drive-By Truckers, it was hard to imagine how the festival could improve upon itself. For Shaky Knees Festival founder Tim Sweetwood, the answers were easy: more bands, a bigger venue, and reasonably priced tickets. Recently, we got the chance to speak with the festival’s founder about this year’s lineup, the festival’s change of scenery, and whether or not he sold his soul to the Rock & Roll Devil.
Vinyl Mag: What initially inspired you to found Shaky Knees?
Tim Sweetwood: I’ve always wanted to produce a festival – they are my favorite kind of events to attend, and I just waited til the time was right.
VM: What do you feel that Shaky Knees offers that some of the other Atlanta music festivals might not?
TS: Real indie music and a chance to discover something new. The lineup is built on having bands you know and haven’t seen in a while but have always loved, and then newcomers in the same genre that will be the next “it” band, and you can see them before anyone else does.
VM: This year the festival is changing locations. How do you feel about the move from the Masquerade Music Park to Atlantic Station?
TS: We feel great. The festival is growing in size naturally, and the Music Park/Old 4th Ward park couldn’t hold what we wanted to do, and we are not big enough for Piedmont Park or something like that. Atlantic Station is very accessible, and still inside the city limits.
VM: What do you feel the biggest improvement will be from last year to this year’s festival?
TS: The chance to see more bands or a ticket price that is close to the lowest price of all the similar national festivals.
VM: How has Shaky Knees managed to deliver such impressive performers in its first two years? Did you sell your soul to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Devil?
TS: Yes, we are on the Highway to Hell. I’ll introduce you to him soon.
VM: Shaky Knees is only in its second year, but already it feels like a mainstay amongst the festivals. Do you feel like your initial expectations have already been met and exceeded?
TS: We have met many of our goals, but there are still many to achieve, and we hope by setting the bar so high with the lineup that from year to year it will keep people coming back and wanting more.
VM: I know that you’ve said you aren’t trying to create the next Bonnaroo, but do you see growth in the festival’s future in terms of number of acts, stages, and attendees?
TS: Yes, we know there will be growth, and although there is tremendous excitement and positive pressure, we don’t want to get too big too quick.
VM: Do you have any specific performers that you are most excited about this year?
TS: Honestly, excited to see them all – that is the joy of booking your own festival. I put on the acts that I truly love and I’m a fan of. We don’t just put anyone on there.
VM: What’s your most memorable festival moment, whether at Shaky Knees or another festival?
TS: Keeping that one to myself, but we truly hope people will have some of their favorite festival experiences at this year’s fest and for years to come.
VM: What advice do you have for Shaky Knees festival-goers?
TS: Get there early and stay late!!
VM: Since Shaky Knees is a Rock ‘n’ Roll fan’s dream come true, can you give us your top three rock bands of all time?
TS: It is really really hard to narrow it down to three, but I’ll throw three out there in no particular order….My Morning Jacket, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Buddy Holly.
HOLYCHILD x Vinyl Mag
There might not be a more fun genre than indie-pop. If you don’t believe me, then give HOLYCHILD a listen. With the uncanny ability to create catchy tracks with depth, it’s no surprise that the band has gained quite a following. After earning early success for their song “Happy With Me,” the LA-based duo recently signed with Glassnote Records and dropped an impressive debut project accompanied by a short film. HOLYCHILD is comprised of lead singer Liz Nistico’s sugary, poignant vocals and Louie Diller’s punchy, melodic, and always-catchy musical compositions. I recently got the chance to get with HOLYCHILD about their debut EP, their favorite dessert foods, and a slew of other sweet subjects…
Vinyl Mag: So, your first EP, Mindspeak, just dropped in March. Do you feel like there’s an overarching theme for the project?
Liz Nistico: Hey! Yeah, the EP just came out! The overarching theme is pretty much centering around me exploring my role as a female in our culture. However, to me it’s even more than that, and really commentary on who we all are, versus who we’re told we’re supposed to be, in relation to our culture and other humans.
VM: I saw that you also released a short film with the EP. What was it like to make that, and why did you feel like you wanted to pair the project with a short film?
Liz: I really wanted the message of the EP to be clear, and I thought that accompanying visuals would really enforce that. I also am a very visual person, so I didn’t really feel the art would be complete without it. I was so grateful to be able to write and direct my own videos, especially because it was my first time really directing! It was nice to be in control of all aspects of the film, from what styles the girls are wearing to what the location looks like to exactly how the actors are interacting. It’s really nice doing HOLYCHILD, because it really is all-encompassing artistic expression!
VM: What was your writing process like for Mindspeak?
Louie Diller: For Mindspeak, Liz and I wrote all the melodies and harmony together, but Liz was responsible for roughly 80 percent of the lyrics, whereas I was responsible for 80 percent of the music production. Our writing process, however, for each song tends to vary. Sometimes, I have a melody floating around in my head; other times, Liz will write using her vocal loop station, and we’ll go from there, and actually for a few songs on our album, Liz has woken up from a dream with songs fully fleshed out!
VM: A whole lot of sweets in the video, and you used a doughnut for the Mindspeak cover art. If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Liz: Ha! I think cheesecake for me.
Louie: Hot fudge chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream on top!
VM: How does it feel to be signed to the same label [Glassnote Records] as artists such as CHVRCHES, Childish Gambino, The Temper Trap and Two Door Cinema Club just to name a few?
Louie: Right on – lest not we forget Phoenix, Mumford and Sons, Givers and a handful of other really inspiring artists! Money, hype and buzz aside, creatively it has been very validating to sign with such a reputable label like Glassnote and to now have all these amazingly privileged opportunities handed to us. After some years of the starving artist struggle, it is a privilege to to not only eat a little bit better, but more importantly, execute our vision on a level we have always dreamed of reaching.
VM: You guys, CHVRCHES and GIVERS are the only bands on the label that use all capital letters in your name. Do you guys get together and make fun of the non-caps nerds?
Liz: Haha, yeah obviously, all-caps fo life. Nah, just kidding, we’re pretty nerdy into all of the other Glassnote bands. I think Louie expressed this, too, but when we get together with the other bands, we’re pretty much like, geeking out on their songs, and live shows, and aesthetics. We’re big fans!
VM: I read that you met each other in a dance class at George Washington University. What did each of you study?
Liz: Yeah! I studied International Affairs, Italian Literature and Dance (mostly modern). I know I’m not directly employed in these careers, but I do feel like I’ve taken all this knowledge and applied it to what I’m doing now.
Louie: I studied International Affairs and Jazz Studies. Obviously, I am not doing the former professionally, but a secret ulterior motive Liz and I have had for pursuing HOLYCHILD is to use it as a vehicle to travel the world! Hehe, don’t tell anyone!
VM: You [had a show] on April 5th back in DC. [Did] it feel like a homecoming of sorts?
Louie: It did feel that way! But we were not there long enough! DC has always treated us really well, and we are fortunate to basically have a home away from home in DC.
VM: What are you currently listening to?
Liz: So much. I’m pretty into Sylvain Esso, Tune-Yards, Loch Lomond, Sam Smith. I am just starting to really to get into Sufjian Stevens which, WTF – why is this just now happening?!
Louie: St. Vincent, Andrew Bird, Battles, OutKast, Thelonoius Monk (always), and more.
VM: Who are some of your musical influences?
Louie: Our musical influences include everybody from Fiona Apple, to Dirty Projectors, to Katy Perry, No Doubt, Afro-Cuban Guaganco, and many more.
VM: If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
Liz: I would definitely be making art in some way. I don’t know if it would be writing or dancing or making visual art, but I know myself well enough at this point to have realized that I fall apart when I’m not making art.
VM: I read that you guys used to make five-month plans and goals for the band. Do you still do that, and if so, what are you planning next for HOLYCHILD?
Liz: Yes! Haha, yeah we’re definitely systematic and still really organized with our approach to how we release things and why. That’s probably the biggest takeaway we have from GW [George Washington University]! The one thing that’s changed now is we have a team behind us, and our five-month plans have turned into 12-18 month plans. Things are just much more certain now (kind of)! So coming up for us, we’re mostly going to be touring for the rest of the year! We just dropped our EP, Mindspeak, and our album with be out in the fall.
Daniel Ellsworth & the Great Lakes x Vinyl Mag
Indie rock band Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes originates from Nashville, Tennessee. The band released their first album, Civilized Man, in 2011 and have just released their sophomore album, Kid Tiger, a mix of synthesizers and pop melodies. Kid Tiger was engineered by Vance Powell, who recorded big names like Jack White, The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. You may have watched their video “Sun Goes Out,” filmed by Joshua Black Wilkins (if not, get on it below). Daniel Ellsworth & the Great Lakes follow in their footsteps with energy and optimism. The band has been recognized by Esquire as one of the 15 Bands to Watch in 2014. They’ve also received recognition for Amazon and Paste Magazine.
The band’s Facebook claims their influences as “Drawings of animals, good mustaches, moderately priced whiskey, and doughnuts,” but this interview got the real scoop. Keep an eye out for Kyle Andrews and Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes on their tour this summer!
Vinyl Mag: How did you guys come to form Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes?
Daniel Ellsworth: The drummer and I went to school together, so we’ve known each other for years. The other guys – we met through mutual friends, playing with other bands in Nashville. We’ve been together since 2011.
VM: How has your style evolved since your first album, Civilized Man?
Daniel: The new album, Kid Tiger, was written as a band. The first record was a mix of songs that I had written before the band had formed, so it was written a little differently, and Kid Tiger was a progression from that. We built everything from the ground up as a band.
VM: What is the inspiration behind your new album, Kid Tiger? Where does the name come from?
Daniel: We draw from a lot of different musical styles. Everyone in the band comes from significantly different backgrounds. Our drummer grew up playing metal; our guitarist grew up playing country and rockabilly; the bass player and I played straight jazz in college.
So, you get this mix, but all of us are big pop and big rock fans. It’s never an intentional thing, but we try and draw from all of those different backgrounds. I don’t know if it necessarily comes through in the music, but I think the music that we listen to and what we’ve grown up on is what inspires the music that we make.
The album name was a random story. It was the one thing we hadn’t quite agreed on yet as a band. Our guitar player had just picked up a copy of Tarantula, Bob Dylan’s first book. It’s like a series of free writing; none of it makes sense. He probably wrote it all when he was stoned out of his mind. We were in Portland, Oregon, and we were sitting in a park and decided to turn to a random page to find an album title. We flipped open to a page, and there were these fake letters from two drunk, fictional characters. One of the letters was signed, “Your fellow rebel, Kid Tiger.” We saw it and thought it was pretty cool. We liked how it sounded; we liked how it looked. Long story long, that’s where Kid Tiger came from.
VM: Are there any particular bands or artists that have helped shape your music?
Daniel: At any given point, we’re listening to all kinds of music. There’s never a band that we want to sound like, but some of the bands we commonly listen to would be Wilco – that’s a big one for us. We listen to a lot of Phil Collins, always Tom Petty, and always Paul Simon.
VM: What was it like working with Vance Powell for your video “Sun Goes Out?”
Daniel: Vance engineered Kid Tiger, and “Sun Goes Out” is the first single on the album. It was amazing working with Vance; he’s one of the best at what he does. It was an honor to get to work with him. He’s recorded some of our favorite records of all time. It was great; he’s a great guy. He was on top of things, and he’s so unbelievably good at what he does.
VM: What plans do you have in the future for the band?
Daniel: I hope that we continue to make records the way we want to with the people we want to make them with and continue to tour with them, if people want to keep listening. We’ll tour in the near future for Kid Tiger. We just got back from a tour, and now we’re working on some of our fall festival dates. We’re doing some touring in May with Kyle Andrews.
VM: What advice can you give to bands in the beginning?
Daniel: Make the music that you want to make. Don’t let anybody tell you what you should be making or what you should be doing. If you’re making music that you love to make and you believe in it, that’s the whole thing. If it’s something you like to play, and you can do it every single day of your life, do that. Don’t change for anyone.
SXSW 2014: Lime Cordiale x Vinyl Mag
Quintet Aussies Lime Cordiale came quite a long way from their home of the northern beaches of Sydney to play at the massive and chaotic live music scene of SXSW. With a voice and sound that can’t help but bring up comparisons to Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) and The Kooks from us writers at Vinyl, this group is definitely deserving of your undivided attention with their up-beat indie rock distinctive of the land down under. We caught up with brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach midway through they week at SX to talk about their experience in the USA, working with Daniel Denholm, and their biggest influences.
VM: 2013 was a huge year for you guys, touring all across Australia to promote your second EP, Falling Up the Stairs. How was that experience for you guys?
Louis Leimbach: Amazing! We all felt solid about that EP and the shows went splendidly. We started the year with an amazing festival on the east coast, so that defiantly pushed us a lot, and we also supported some bands that we adored. We were super vibing on all of the shows out of our hometown, which had great turnouts.
VM: How did you come up with the band name Lime Cordiale?
LL: Our last name has ‘Lime’ in it, and we stole the ‘Cordiale’ from a French musical festival ‘Musique Cordiale’ we were attending when we first started playing together.
VM: How has it been performing and making music as brothers in the same band; does that ever cause tension or disagreements within the band?
LL: I can’t really imagine doing this without a sibling. There is never any backstabbing, and we can read each other perfectly. Sure, there is tension, but that makes for something good to write about.
Oli Leimbach: Despite being brothers, we get along really well. We have similar vision.
VM: How was the experience of having the EP produced by Daniel Denholm?
LL: Daniel is a strange guy. One of those wackos that would be naked under his trench-coat playing music all night long in the dark by himself. But a musical genius who totally gets us, and we fully respect him. We worked hard finding a sound that mimicked our personalities and presence for about six months. We put down about 20 tracks and picked out the best five.
VM: Being from Sydney Australia, how has that influenced your sound?
LL: There is definitely a distinct sound coming out of us at the moment – maybe that has something to do with it? We come from a surfy town that like to party and dance so we’ve definitely adapted our sound to its groovers.
VM: Are there any particular musicians or bands that shape your music?
LL: A lot of old soul, deep house, reggae and psychedelic music. Some of our favourites are Bonobo, Citizen Cope, Charles Bradley, Amy Winehouse, Tame Impala and Crowded House.
VM: How has your music evolved since the beginning?
OL: When we first started out we were playing much smaller venues and mainly just acoustically. But as we started playing bigger places, we had to adjust our sound to less of a sit down and listen and more of a stand up and dance type of feel. Its all about playing something that people can dance to.
VM: Anyone who you guys would love to play live with?
LL: Citizen Cope, Charles Bradley, The Growlers, The Strokes…
VM: Do you guys have a favorite song to play live?
LL: ‘Bullsh*t Aside’ is pretty fun the play live. It seems to get everyone grooving pretty hard.
VM: What bands were you most excited to see at SXSW this year?
LL: We had no plans, and that was the best plan. We just hopped from venue to venue, and because of that we now have a list of about 30 great bands we previously had never heard of. We made friends with a couple of them and now have some good U.S. connections and friends.
VM: How many shows did you play at SXSW? What was your favorite?
LL: At one showcase we played, the guitar amp blew up in the first song, so Oli just danced around for most of it. When you stuff up that hard at the start of your set, you just loosen up and stop worrying, because there’s nothing else to loose.
VM: What is next for Lime Cordiale?
LL: We’ve got a bunch of new songs we want to lay down when we return to [Australia]. Then head back over to hit the USA with some fresh new tracks.
Apr 08 ‘Play Us Your Hits’ Showcase @ MUSEXPO Los Angeles, CA
Apr 09 Casa Costa Mesa, CA
Apr 21 Bluesfest Byron Bay Nsw, Australia
Jun 11 The Catalyst Santa Cruz, CA
Jun 17 The Crocodile Seattle, WA
Lydia x Vinyl Mag
The much-anticipated Illuminate Tour has had dedicated Lydia fans excited for months. We caught up with lead singer Leighton Antelman at his sold out show in Atlanta to figure out exactly just what it is about this album that is so important to fans. In the process, we also found out the indie singer’s feelings about Internet piracy, his preference of libation and the scoop on Lydia’s future projects.
Vinyl Mag: You guys have been on tour for exactly a month now – how has it been? Any major highlights [from the tour] we should know about?
Leighton Antelman: Just that the fans have been crazy. This is probably one of the best tours we have headlined so far, and we’ve just been blown away by how cool the fans are.
VM: Not that anyone’s complaining, but why now? I mean, most bands wait until the 10th Anniversary of a beloved album to dedicate a tour.
LA: Well, it was just the five-year anniversary of Illuminate this past fall, and we just couldn’t fit it into our tour schedule for the fall. We didn’t want to just throw a tour together, so we decided to wait until spring to do it properly.
VM: What do you think it is about Illuminate that resonates so deeply with your fans?
LA: I mean, I don’t know. For me it’s just another record we did, but to the fans… they really like this album. Your guess is as a good as mine.
VM: Thinking back to the writing/recording of the album, is there anything in particular that sticks out in your minds as special? Did you sense at the time that this would be such an important album for you and your fans?
LA: It was our second album that we ever did, and it was kind of the first album that we took seriously. We weren’t at home just screwing around, but I definitely didn’t know it was going to be such an impact on the fans.
VM: You’re newest album Devil came out last year. How was writing and recording that album different from Illuminate and other albums from before your hiatus?
LA: This one was different, because I had a different team of people around me. Lydia has always kind of been a collective project. I just like to write and play with different people, because it keeps it interesting.
VM: How is it different to play a set that consists of an album in its entirety compared to a typical show? Are there any songs in particular you find it difficult to revisit after years of not playing?
LA: No, it’s actually really fun, because some of the songs we haven’t played in years. It’s something new, and we’ve been having fun with it. We’ve obviously never [played] a record all the way through, so the whole tour has been really new and cool for us in that regard.
VM: Back in November, you told us that some of the songs Mindy White [did vocals] on were difficult to play live. How did you meet that challenge when playing on this tour?
LA: Well, there are two other people that sing on stage with me now, and they’ll do some of the falsettos and harmonies and what not. Some of the parts that she sang, I’ve just adapted and made my own version of it.
VM: You guys have been touring for so many years now; do you have any interesting stories that would solidify Atlanta’s reputation for being totally weird?
LA: [Laughing] I don’t think you guys are totally weird.
VM: I mean, we are pretty proud of our weirdness.
LA: I have my other project, Cinema, and this is where we write and record, so I spend a whole lot of time in Atlanta. I probably spend the most of my time between Atlanta and home, so I’ve always thought it was pretty cool place.
VM: A little birdie – Vinyl writer and huge Lydia fan, Samantha [Gilder] – told me you were a big whiskey fan. Any recent favorites you want to share?
LA: [Laughing] Not really to be honest, I’m just a big fan of Jameson. It’s my go-to.
VM: This question is a bit political, but recently there’s been a lot of discussion about free online listening services like Spotify and Pandora and how they affect bands livelihood. What are your thoughts on them? Do you see them as a tool or a burden?
LA: I absolutely view it as a tool. I don’t understand when bands get fired [up] about music getting out for free. If somebody wants your record, they’re going to get it whether it’s free or not. I just think, even if it’s free, that just means more people coming out to shows, and who could be mad about that? I think you just have to embrace it at this point.
VM: Obviously fans are glad to have you back from hiatus and have had a positive response to your latest album, Devil, but what can we expect from Lydia in the future once the this tour wraps up?
LA: After this tour, we are going to take a month or two off. We already have a handful of songs; we just want to get some more. We all write the songs and then just send them back and fourth to each other, and we’re getting very close to having enough for a new record, so we’re going to focus on that when we get home. It’s about time for that.
*Be sure to check out our review of the show, here!!
SXSW 2014: Blondfire x Vinyl Video
It’s no secret that we at Vinyl have love for Blondfire. It all started at South by Southwest 2013 when we saw them play a show at The Belmont with Sirah, Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Rockie Fresh, Action Bronson and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (um…best lineup ever?). Since then, we’ve been hooked.
We sat down with them at SXSW this year (after trying to meet up at a restaurant that no longer exists and getting super lost and confused), and they patiently held off eating a delicious-looking muffin to talk with us about their newest release Young Heart, finding band members through Craig’s List, what they love about South by Southwest and, of course, what’s next for them. Enjoy!
Apr 03 The Hoxton w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Toronto, Canada
Apr 04 Imperial De Quebec w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Quebec City, Canada
Apr 05 Corona Theatre w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Montreal, Canada
Apr 07 Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Brooklyn, NY
Apr 08 Union Transfer w/ The Sounds Philadelphia, PA
Apr 10 Webster Hall w/ The Sounds New York, NY
Apr 11 Fete Ballroom w/ The Sounds Providence, RI
Apr 12 9:30 Club w/ The Sounds Washington, DC
Apr 14 Terminal West w/ The Sounds Atlanta, GA
Apr 15 The State Theatre w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Tampa, FL
Apr 16 Grand Central w/ The Sounds Miami, FL
Apr 18 Granada Theater w/ The Sounds Dallas, TX
Apr 19 Emo’s w/ The Sounds, Ghos… Austin, TX
Apr 21 Fitzgerald’s w/ The Sounds Houston, TX
Jun 03 The Demo w/ Chain Gang of 1974 St Louis, MO
Jun 04 Woodland’s Tavern w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Columbus, OH
Jun 05 The Boot & Saddle Philadelphia, PA
Jun 08 Brighton Music Hall w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Boston, MA
Jun 09 The Drake Hotel w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Toronto, Canada
Jun 10 Magic Stick w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Detroit, MI
Jun 11 Empty Bottle w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Chicago, IL
Jun 12 7th St Entry w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Minneapolis, MN
Jun 14 Marquis Theater w/ Chain Gang of 1974 Denver, CO
SXSW 2014: Jagwar Ma x Vinyl Mag
Walking down historical Congress Street through the steady droves of Southby-goers to meet with the Australian band Jagwar Ma, I listened to the bands debut album, Howlin’. When an album can be defined as psychedelic dance rock while at the same time evoking a chill wave vibe (and somehow bringing some Beach Boys-esque melodies to the mix), you know you’ve got something unique.
Jagwar Ma was formed in 2011 by Gabriel Winterfield (lead vocalist/guitarist), Jono Ma (guitar, beats, synths, production), and bass guitarist/vocalist Jack Freeman. Howlin’ was released in 2013, and they have been touring the album internationally through Future Classics, Mom + Pop Music and Marathon Artists. I caught up with the band at the eclectic antique shop, Uncommon Objects, an Austin soho staple – very fitting for the band’s first SXSW.
VM: You guys just put out Howlin’ – are you ready to put out a second album?
Jono Ma: People ask us a lot about the second record, and we’ve definitely been looking at our crystal ball and [doing] a lot of sketching and things but, realistically, we’ve got a pretty hectic touring schedule coming up and want to stay focused on that for now.
VM: I saw that! You’re heading back to New York this summer, right? Plus playing Coachella?
JM: Oh yeah, and all over really – headed back to South America in a couple days, Chili, Columbia, Brazil and Argentina, all leading up to Coachella.
VM: Wow, how do you guys keep up with the pace?
JM: Picking our battles. Like, last night for example, it was 2 a.m., and I was standing in the middle of the road outside of The Mohawk with the band Warpaint debating: should I go party? I decided in the end to go home and get some rest.
VM: You definitely can burn out quickly I imagine. Now, how did you guys meet?
Gabriel Winterfield: We met in Sydney; we both played in other bands that would play the same venues and tour together. It’s not abnormal in Sydney for cross-pollination in bands.
VM: Is Sydney a good culture for that?
GW: Yeah, it certainly was, and I think it still is, It’s got a really good vibe for bands. I was renting an office that I turned into a little studio, and Jono actually had a professional studio to work from.
VM: Did you produce all of your music yourself?
GW: Yeah, Jono produced this record; I sort of dabbled in demo recordings, but the fact is, we had the opportunity to make our own sh*t, and people would come to jam. It was a pretty good time.
VM: It seems that’s one of the best ways to create new music, so that’s really fortunate. Are there any new artists that you feel you would like to work with in the future or are inspired by?
JM: We’re quite comfortable, musically, just the two of us, because we can really cover a lot of ground. I can do a lot of technical stuff – we can both play guitar and keyboards, but we’re excited about the prospects of working with great visual directors and artists like Chris Cunningham and maybe Spike Jonze, because that’s not our forte’. As pretentious as it might sound, I would like to work with a lot of designers.
VM: Why do you think that sounds pretentious? Are you afraid of coming across as pretentious?
JM: Well, I don’t know. I guess, ‘what does physical clothing have to do with it?’ maybe…
VM: This is your first SXSW right? How has it been so far?
JM: Yeah, our first time – it’s good… quite chaotic, but we haven’t smashed Southby yet. We’ve only been here two days. I’ve seen some tired looking heads.
VM: You must get used to travelling a lot. You’re now based in the UK, right?
GW: Yeah, we’re based in North East London. There’s a bit of a vibe there. We’re not there too often, but when we are, we love it. It’s a place that makes the most sense for us at the moment.
VM: Right, because you are signed to a couple of labels right? I know you work with Future Classic in Australia, Marathon in the UK and Mom+Pop here in the US. How does that all work out?
JM: With great difficulty.
VM: Do they all get along? For instance, who handles the tour to South America?
JM: Yeah, but they just work on their territories separately; it’s not that unusual of a structure. South America is the wild west – we’re just gonna wing it down there. God, I don’t even know, but we have really great management that takes care of it all for us.
VM: Who do you wanna see at Southby? I know you guys are friends with Cut Copy [who are] playing tonight.
JM: Yes! We need to get a hold of them; it would be great to see what they are doing at the moment. I also really wanna see Danny Brown. We just did the Laneway tour, and he was on it.
SXSW 2014: SW/MM/NG x Vinyl Mag
As a seasoned SXSW attendee (two consecutive years constitutes as seasoned, right?), I’ve come to realize that – while not many – there are a few things you are guaranteed take with you from your experience.
You will, without a doubt, always leave with a full backpack-worth of “swag”- koozies, stickers, matches, sunglasses, t-shirts, CDs or whatever else was shoved in your hand as you were cramming a taco into your face while power-walking through the masses to get to Red 7 by five minutes ago.
Second, you will definitely leave with some sort of battle wound. Battle wounds take on a variation of forms, so be prepared to endure them in (potentially) multiple fashions, such as blistered ankles from the 10 miles you walked in six hours, or an unevenly proportioned sunburn (also resulting from the 10 miles you walked in those six hours of blazing sunshine).
While those things are all good, great and dandy, the last thing you are guaranteed to take away is probably most relative to what brought you to this week of SXSW in the first place – you came for the music, and without a doubt, you left with at least one new band that really, really did it for you.
For me this year, that band was SW/MM/ING. SW/MM/NG is a five-piece from Arkansas that makes whimsically dreamy tunes that put you somewhere between the California coast and the year 2004 in your mind. Following their showcase at Valhalla, we were able to catch up with some of the guys and find out completely relevant things like where they were eating and potential lawsuits they were witness to. Read for yourself, and then download their demo “Feel Not Bad” (if you’re into things like ear candy and good feels).
Vinyl Mag: Tonight was your first showcase, correct? How do you feel it went?
Jared Hennessey: Yeah, it was our first showcase and first show with Jack on pianos. It went pretty well, I think.
VM: Oh, first show with the band?
Jack Paul: Well, I’ve been with the band playing drums, but I’ve assumed a new position, because we got a better drummer.
VM: Right on! What has been memorable for you thus far [during SXSW]?
Jared Hennessey: We tried to catch some shows today, but every time we would be walking up, everyone else would be walking out.
Brian Kuppillas: The Portals showcase was really cool, though. And actually, a great set we caught was Trash Talk, and it was right outside of Beer Land. It was nuts- the cops were called; people were jumping off of the roof and falling out of trees. There was a huge mosh pit in the center of the street, and the cops rode up on their ATV’s with their sirens on during a song, and it just made the song so much cooler. Other than that, we’ve just been partying with buddies.
VM: I noticed you had a substantial amount of people at your showcase tonight who knew you guys- were those real- life friends or fans?
JP: A lot of people move away from Fayetteville, and Austin is pretty close, so they come here. We have friends all over, so they come to support.
JH: We actually have no fans – just a lot of friends.
BK: Arkansas is a good place for leaving, so they all head to bigger cities.
VM: Well, Arkansas seems to keep you content, right?
BK: It’s fine. It’s easy and really cheap in the city.
VM: I noticed when trying to google the band that you’re actually very hard to google- is that an intentional thing?
JH: No, we’re working on it. We’re thinking about it pretty hard right now.
BK: Can we talk about the story behind it?
VM: I would love to talk about the story behind it.
BK: So, there’s this UK band called Swimming, and they called Jared up one day around 8 a.m. while we were in Virginia Beach on our first or second tour. They went on with some ‘manager of the band Swimming’ stuff, and I was like, ‘No, we don’t need a manager, but thanks for the call’ or whatever. Meanwhile, he had this ridiculous accent, so I had no idea of half of the stuff he was trying to say. It pretty much came around to him stating that he was calling because he might sue us if we didn’t change the name.
VM: So, this is how the slashes in the band name came about?
JH: Yeah, that’s how that started. But there’s also this band in Australia with the name Swimming, so we may as well just call ourselves Swimming.
JP: Their main concern was that it would be too hard to tell apart in iTunes, so now we just write it differently.
VM: Well, I guess this segways nicely into another question of mine- I saw that you [were on] a list of ‘Worst Band Names of SXSW’- how do you feel about that?
JH: Well, there’s a good point to that that a friend of mine mentioned- you can literally take any of the ‘best band names’ and put them on the ‘worst band names,’ and it all still works. They’re all easily interchangeable.
BK: For example, I think Perfect Pussy is a fine band name. But as far as how I feel about it, I love that we made that list.
VM: To be honest, the name is what drew us in to check you guys out, so I guess it’s all relative.
BK: Well, that’s awesome. It could always be worse- like, The Goo Goo Dolls or something.
VM: Serious question- are you food truck people or BBQ joint people when you’re Austin?
JP: Can we be all of those people? Because we’ve already done both of those today.
VM: What exactly have you done today?
BK: The Bearded Lady and Austin Daily Press. They’re both dope places to eat, so check them out. They literally have the best hush puppies, and I hate hush puppies.
VM: Where were you when the accident happened in front of the Mohawk?
JH: Still in Fayetteville, actually. We didn’t even hear about until we were driving down here. It was really weird pulling up here and knowing we’re right beside where it all went down.
JP: I was texting my girlfriend on the way down here about how I was worried about the energy we would be coming into, but the vibes have been really good, all things considered.
VM: What’s currently playing in your tour bus at the moment?
BK: We’re all obsessed with the solo record from Kevin Morby, who is the guitarist in Woods.
JH: I’ve listened to it four times in the same day, and I never do that with any record. I’m obsessed with it- you let him know that.
BK: Our drummer is obsessed with The Zombies, so we listened to a lot of that, also.
VM: What’s the best/worst artist comparison you’ve received?
BK: I’ll never understand it, but there was this dude who said we sounded like Hootie and the Blowfish. I’ve also gotten the guy from Dashboard Confessional, and I don’t hear that one, either.
JH: People seem to relate things that they personally like to other things they personally like, even if there is no real comparison there.
JP: My girlfriend always says The Cure, and we’re all totally down with that.
VM: In that same token, what’s the weirdest thing anyone has said to you about their thoughts on your music?
BK: So, this dude named Buffalo once told us that our music took him to the spirit realm, but he was tripping really hard, so I’m not sure how much of that was musically-induced or drug-induced.
VM: Do you ever have those moments where you get those vibes off of your own music?
BK: There are times when you think about something too much that it doesn’t seem real anymore. You can do it with a word, even. If you say ‘orange’ over and over again it becomes meaningless; it’s easy to feel that way when you’ve played something hundreds of times. But, there are those times when you realize that you’re essentially five strangers, and everything worked out so well that you ended up together, and now you’re all playing the same song, and you’re very much in tune with one another. That’s what usually pops in my head and throws me out of it for a second.
JP: Because I live in Little Rock and not Fayetteville, I come to things a little bit later, so I have more of that outside perspective where I listen to the music and can really appreciate what’s being made.
SXSW 2014: Night Riots x Vinyl Mag
What would you get if U2 and The Killers had a baby? Night Riots – that’s what. Hailing from central California, this rock band has such an infectious sound that both MTV and Rolling Stone have taken notice. We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with them during their stint in Austin during SXSW, so read on to hear about how the band formed, their influences, one band member’s premonitions, and what’s in store for Night Riots down the road.
Vinyl Mag: So you guys have playing together since you were teenagers, how did the band form?
Travis Hawley: Well Matt and I met in middle school, and then the rest of us started playing together when we were little kids. We grew up playing music together and it has just been that way ever since.
VM: Comparisons have been drawn between Night Riots and big names such as The Killers, The Clash, and U2. How would you define your sound?
Nick Fotinakes: Sort of like a mix between The Killers and U2. I don’t know; I like it. I think it has the nostalgia of U2 or maybe some 80’s stuff. But, we also grew up listening to a lot of punk music, so it still has a lot of angst and darkness. I don’t know; it’s just rock with a listenability.
VM:You guys had to change your band name due to copyright infringements. How did you guys settle on the name Night Riots?
TH: It came to Mikel in a dream.
NF: Mikel has a lot of premonitions. Like on the flight over here, he thought we were all going to crash.
Matt DePauw: No, he saw a ring of light, and it was hopeful. He grabbed my wrist and was shaking, and then his eyes went completely white, and he saw a vision…
VM: You raised the money to put out your EP Young Lore independently. How was that experience?
TH: It was fun; it was a actually a cool way to give back to our fans. You know, they would donate surprising amount of money, and then we just tried our best to make worthwhile things to give back to them. So, we just had a bunch of cool little perks.
VM: Who would you guys say are your biggest musical influences?
TH: I like INXS.
NF: Travis.
MD: Dr. Dre, 2001. I mean it, it’s a great album. It inspired me a lot.
VM: So, welcome to the heaven that is South by Southwest! Any really cool experiences yet? Or anything you guys are really looking forward to?
Rico Rodriguez: South by Southwest is just pure chaos. You have people throwing up on people, Lady Gaga flying around on meat, barbeques.
MD: Pretty much in the streets, too. She’s throwing up on stage, then you walk outside. Mikel saw that one in a premonition. He saw us eating gyros later, too…
VM: What is your favorite venue you guys have played?
TH: I like the Great American Music Hall in San Fransico; that’s pretty awesome.
NF: I like this place called Humphrey’s by the Bay in San Diego. It’s like a big outdoor amphitheater. You saw people on their boats pull up and watch the show.
VM: You were featured on Rolling Stone and on MTV Buzzworthy in 2011 and 2012. How did that feel to get that exposure?
NF: Pretty cool – like surreal. It’s something you never really think is going to happen, but then it does, and I don’t know. It doesn’t really click in until someone tells you it’s cool, and then you think it’s cool. I am really peer-pressure-influenced.
VM: How would you say your music has evolved since the beginning of the band?
TH: Since the beginning of time. It has just evolved. It has all been pretty organic, and I think recently we have been exploring a lot more textures and sounds and rhythm, so I think that’s the biggest thing. But also, just pushing ourselves to be a little bit more outside of the box.
VM: If you could play a live show or collaborate with any band or artist dead or alive, who would it be?
MD: Freddy Mercury. Or that guy Death Grips.
VM: What can we expect from Night Riots after SXSW?
Mikel Van Kranenburg: Lots of gold, gold rings. That’s what I saw.
TH: We are going to come home, and then we are actually just spending a couple of months just writing music, get[ting] a couple of music videos done. A bit of touring, and then we are going to start it all over again.
SXSW 2014: Bert McCracken x Vinyl Mag
As frontman of the well-known rock band The Used hailing from Orem, Utah, Bert McCracken is far from inexperienced in both performing and interviewing. During SXSW, we were lucky enough to sit down and talk with the veteran rocker for a few minutes of his jam-packed schedule. Despite his experience, we chatted about how he still gets nervous to perform, his fondness of Australia and the new The Used record that’s coming out this month.
VM: The Used manages to combine heavy rock and roll with strong, catchy melodies. [What is] your main focus when writing a song?
Bert McCracken: My main focus is the lyrics first, then melody second. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Neil Diamond, and so I appreciate pop melody and pop sensibility. I want to write a song that I want to hear.
VM: You have a new album, Imaginary Enemy, coming out in April. What can we expect from your sixth studio album?
BM: It’s really a more selfless record than we have ever written. We wanted to ask some big questions about some really serious issues facing the world, inequality, and love and humanity, and what are we all doing not treating each other with respect…these kinds of things. So, we really keep the writing general enough so you can take it for what it means in your own personal life. But this record is going a bit deeper than we have before, and just like your typical Used record, I think there are a lot of colors that paint this canvas. So you have your heavier songs and your lighter songs and your more experimental stuff, but I think the focus is more on the consciousness of the message.
VM: How do you feel like you have evolved as a band and stayed relevant since starting out 13 years ago?
BM: I think the relevance is in part to do with our passion, and also directly a product of honest, pure love of music…there are a lot of bands out there like The Used that are just truly passionate about what they do, because they love music. And I think that is the most important thing for us – status aside, money aside, attention aside, everything else aside – other than this unadulterated love for music.
VM: Let’s talk about the heaven that is SXSW. What’s your favorite part of the Austin festival?
BM: My favorite part of SXSW is just the camaraderie and the freedom of music. There is a band here, there’s a band there, there’s a band there, there’s a band there – how great is that? Purely for the music.
VM: What’s the coolest venue or event that you’ve ever played?
BM: The Gorge in Washington is really awesome. It’s this outdoor venue that’s right in front of this cliff.
VM: What has been your most outrageous experience with a fan?
BM: There is a fan that has this fake leg that he always throws up on stage, and we always talk about it. He’s got a beer keg in his leg, so there’s a tap, and he’s got drawers, adult cigarettes and all. But we also had a Make a Wish Foundation cancer victim who chose to come spend a day with the Used in 2005, and we became super close. We talked on the phone all the time. His name was David Smith, and he lost his battle with cancer about a year ago. But that was the most outrageous fan experience.
VM: Do you still get nervous before you perform live?
BM: Very nervous. And if I didn’t, maybe I would need to re-evaluate my passion a little bit. I care a lot about what I do, and I want everyone to have a really amazing time. I want that healthy escape to be as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
VM: How have you managed to preserve your voice after years of recording and performing?
BM: I don’t know. I don’t think I have. I just take it easy, really really easy.
VM: Who are some of your biggest influences?
BM: I would say a Brazilian Revolutionary named Paolo Freire is one on my major influences. Noam Chomsky, T.S. Elliot, Umberto Eco, Charles Dickens…George Orwell is one of my main influences. I would say authors influence me a lot more than other artists. I am a writer first.
VM: If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
BM: Writing.
VM: So you have a pretty sweet set-up living in Australia. What is your favorite part about living in the land down under?
BM: I love the Australian way of kind of protected market systems. They have really strong protection for family-owned independent business. I think the whole world should feel that out.