Category: Interviews
SXSW 2015: Survival Guide x Vinyl Mag
Emily Whitehurst is doing things a little different these days. After years of singing for the San Francisco favorite Tsunami Bomb as Agent M, she’s headed out on her fuzz rock solo endeavor, aptly named Survival Guide. We got a few minutes for an impromptu interview with her find out the basics about her upcoming album Way To Go, inspirations, and what she really thinks about SXSW. While you’re sitting in on our chat, check out her newest single, “January Shock,” below.
Vinyl Mag: You are one person, but you perform by the name Survival Guide…where did that come from? Why not perform under your own name?
Emily Whitehurst: Well, originally it was me and the guitar player. I play keyboards and sing. It was a two-piece, and then when he left the band, I decided that we had already done all this stuff as Survival Guide – we had a couple releases. I decided that I wanted to continue and possibly add more musicians as I go.
VM: So you just released a single [this month]?
EW: Yeah about a week ago. I have a record coming out May 15! I’m super excited and adamant to get this record out.
VM: So that’s just you singing and on the keys; you don’t have any guitar in that?
EW: All that stuff was from when my guitar player did his parts already. We wrote the electric drums together and put the guitar and keyboard part on it. So I’m not sure what I’ll do for the next record, but this one is done.
VM: How are you performing that?
EW: I am on my keyboard rig, and I have a trigger for all the tracks. It’s a backing track with guitar and drums while I sing and play keyboard.
VM: Is this your first time at SXSW?
EW: As Survival Guide, yes. I played here once as another band.
VM: Do you like it so far?
EW: Yeah, it’s awesome! I played a show yesterday, and then I have an acoustic one today and one tomorrow at the Big Picture showcase in the Blind Pig.
VM: What inspires you to make music?
EW: I definitely go through phases where I get obsessed with one or two records at a time when I can’t stop listening to them. Right now, it’s all female artists. I love the Haim record so much; I love Electric Lady by Janelle Monae, and I love Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey, which surprised me.
VM: After SXSW and after you put out this record, are you going to tour more?
EW: I plan on touring at least the West coast behind the record. I’ve actually been working on it. I have friends that played backing on a few shows for me, so I have a drummer, guitarist, and keyboardist, so it’s like the opposite of what I’m doing now, but it’s super fun. If not, it’ll just be me.
VM: Are you a barbeque joint or a food truck person?
EW: With a food truck, you have so many different options, and I love having a million options even though it takes me forever to decide. You can also get barbeque from a food truck! Food trucks are like everywhere in California. Speaking of, there’s a place in California where they can flash freeze ice cream in the truck…
SXSW 2015: Guantanamo Baywatch x Vinyl Mag
“If a technical bass player were to watch what I’m doing, they would probably start to cry.”
Guantanamo Baywatch is definitely NSFW. Listening to their laid back, surf pop melodies in any professional situation would surely induce the uncontrollable desire to strip off that business casual pantsuit, find a bikini, and head for open water.
We sat down with Jason Powell, Chevelle Wiseman, and Chris Scott over some frozen drinks at SXSW to talk about recent collaborations, unique approaches to playing bass, and their new album Darling… It’s Too Late.
VM: Do you guys prefer touring on the West Coast or the East Coast?
Jason Powell: LA is my favorite place to play. We’re going to move there next year. We play the East Coast a lot. We always play up and down it a few times a year.
Chevelle Wiseman: As much as we can; we’re just from the other side so…
JP: I like the East Coast, too; we recorded our new album in Atlanta at The Living Room studio. We were there for like two weeks, we’re friends with The Coathangers and Curtis Harding.
VM: Speaking of, how was it working with Chris Harding for the single “Too Late”?
Chris Scott: It was cool. I called him the day of, and he said, “I’ll be there in an hour.” He had never heard the song before in his life and then sang for maybe half an hour.
JP: He hit it all in the first try.
VM: Chevelle, you kind of just picked up the bass and started playing one day; do you feel you’ve mastered the craft now?
JP: She is truly one of the worst bass players.
CW: Just for fun, I’ve been working with one of my mom’s friends who is a professional bass player (who used to play for The Go-Gos). She was trying to show me how to really do it, and I realized my technique is just like – no one ever taught me how to do it. So I don’t know how to do anything on bass, and I have to start back from the beginning. I can do some things well, but there are others things that I’m just the worst. If a technical bass player were to watch what I’m doing, they would probably start to cry.
JP: But the audience doesn’t care.
CS: The funny thing is that bassists here at South by, they look at Chevelle and what she’s doing on the bass and say, “how do you do that?” There’s no rhyme or reason to it; she’s just hitting notes.
VM: Your fans have been anxiously awaiting new music from you guys since Chest Crawl. How long did it take to record Darling… It’s Too Late?
JP: It took a long time. It took forever for me to write all the songs, and then we had to head down to Atlanta and record. Even after we got back, I worked on the album for another two months down in my basement, adding and editing shit. Then we had to go back to Atlanta to get it mixed and mastered. So it took almost a year.
CW: We also lost all the album art because my computer got stolen on tour, so we had to postpone it two more months.
VM: “Too Late” is kind of a slower departure from the rowdy stuff we’re used to with you guys – can we expect more of the same on the album?
JP: Well, everyone puts out a single that’s a fast party song, so we said, “fuck it; let’s do the slowest song we can do.” When we were listening to it, we thought it sounded the best.
CW: It definitely stands out as the title track, but it’s also the slowest song on the album. I think there are a lot more mid-tempo songs.
JP: It’s a pop album. It’s not a punk/surf rock album, but there are a lot of instrumental songs – but even those songs are more like theme songs for a show.
Do you guys still play house shows?
CS: Yeah, we played two yesterday! But they’re getting harder and harder to come by, especially in Portland.
JP: Yeah, Portland’s changed so much.
VM: Is this your first time at SXSW?
CW: It’s our fifth!
VM: Wow! How many shows are you playing?
CS: We’re playing eight total.
JP: But last year we played like 15, year before that it was more like 20. We used to play around three shows a day, but why would you want to do that? I get sick, and my throat hurts, and my strings break, and I’m hungry, and I’m sleepy.
VM: Who are you most excited to see, or what’s your favorite band that you have seen?
JP: No Parents, Natural Child, Sheer Mag. The White Fangs show at the Mohawk was so sick. We kind of grew up playing with them, so we’ve seen them a million times.
CW: We tried to see all of our friends that we’ve seen before but don’t get to see very often.
CS: And its South by, so getting to see your friends play to a whole new crowd and see how they react is really fun.
VM: Are you barbecue joint or food truck people?
JP: Barbecue joint. I hate food trucks. They’re always bad. They’re expensive, they’re terrible, you get rained on, and they’re slow as shit.
VM: What’s next for you guys after SX and the album comes out?
JP: Touring Australia and New Zealand. Going to hang out with some Kiwis.
Slingshot 2015: Nightmare Air x Vinyl Mag
Nightmare Air are on a roll. Described as “possibly L.A.’s loudest band” (Surfing on Steam), they’ve been on a recent tirade, tearing up LA with multiple shows, dropping in on South by Southwest last week in Austin, and now heading to Athens, GA for night two of Slingshot Festival.
Even better? The band will be playing a Slingshot showcase hosted by none other than your favorite online music mag (us. Vinyl Mag. I know that’s what you were thinking). Come out to the Caledonia Lounge tomorrow night for some ear-smashing loud music. We’ll see you there.
We grabbed some time with NA’s guitarist/vocalist Dave Dupuis to talk about Slingshot, being on a Japanese label, and skateboard tricks. Enjoy.
Vinyl Mag: What sounds or inspiration did you take from your previous band (Film School) to Nightmare Air?
Dave Dupuis: The wall of sound that we had as a five-piece in Film School is something that I love and is important to me, which we do well in Nightmare Air as the power trio….but with Nightmare Air, we’re making music a little more direct, a bit more rocky and upbeat, which is a natural move for the the three of us in this band.
VM: How does living in LA influence your sound or performance?
DD: Hate to be that guy, but the weather is just nice in LA! For me, when the weather is nice, it gives you a lot of mental freedom, which helps when it comes to making a record. This coming from a New Hampshire native and one who has lived for many years in Seattle…the consistent LA weather is appreciated.
There are lot of great bands in LA, too, which keeps you as an artist pushing your creative limits to be the best you can, live and in the studio.
VM: Where do the rock n roll sounds in your album come from/who are they influenced by?
DD: A lot of time in the studio monkeying around with FX pedals, keyboards…..looping bits and screaming/ mumbling into the mic for hours till you get that sweet combination to create the vibe!
VM: You are on a Japanese label, Vinyl Junkie. How did that come about? Do you have a large following there?
DD: The Vinyl Junkie signing came about through the US label that put High in the Lasers out digitally and on CD, Saint Marie Records. The Japanese version has different art work and some extra tracks, which is quite cool, too. Are we big in Japan? Isn’t everyone!? We have yet to go over there, hopefully soon.
VM: Favorite band you’ve shared the stage with?
DD: Tough question. Last year, we did a co-headline tour with a good pals from London called Roman Remains. They are two members of UK band The Duke Spirit, whom I toured with for a couple years. Great bands, great friends, good times.
VM: “Nightmare Air” is the name of a skateboard trick…do you still try to find time to skate between all the tours and traveling?
DD: I do! Depending on the tour, I love taking a board on tour, too.
VM: While you’re touring, do you find time to write, or do you do all of your writing at home?
DD: It’s next to impossible to write on the road; it’s a different brain for me. We sometimes come up with a few musical ideas at sound checks….pretty rare though. I always have my little lyric book and always write down phrases or words that are inspiring, which most of the time ends up being just a collection of weird tripped out shit. A lot of those things make it into the songs though! The name of our debut LP High in the Lasers definitely came off that list.
VM: Best festival ever attended?
DD: Plissken Festival in Athens, Greece last summer was an amazing experience for us. We ended up staying in Athens for a week. Played the opening night party and ended up doing a really fun live recording session at a great studio out there called Lizard Sound. Great people and made some good friends for life.
VM: What are you most excited to do while you’re in Athens [Georgia] besides play Slingshot?
DD: Hang out!
VM: What can audiences expect from you Slingshot show?
DD: A wild ride.
VM: What’s next for Nightmare Air?
DD: We’re in the process of making a new record, we recorded a bunch of ideas before we left for this tour, and hoping to record another batch when we get back…album and a big tour this fall!
Slingshot 2015: Fascinator x Vinyl Mag
It’s safe to say that Fascinator follows through on the promise that their name implies. With tempered and melodic sounds and psychedelic visuals, front man Johnny Mackay leads the three-man band as the self-declared Lord Fascinator. His previous project, Children Collide, was a Melbourne-based modern rock project that mostly dissolved after Mackay’s move to America.
As Fascinator appears to have become Mackay’s musical priority, he has adopted a whole new style and sound. The synthetic beats may come through your headphones as rather “chill,” but they take on whole new dimension when performed on stage. The guys, clad in multi-colored layered pieces of clothing, have a ritual of covering their faces with masks. From heavy fringe to baklavas covered in googly eyes, their theatrical stage presence enhances their rather self-aware lyrics.
This practice has also carried over into the band’s trippy music videos, wherein images are often fixed over the members’ faces or are heavily covered with hats and large sunglasses.
Fascinator’s last album, Birth/Earth, was a combination of two albums, Birth and Earth, respectively, released in 2013. Birth came first in July with five tracks, and Earth followed in October with another five. The two were combined and enhanced by Mackay’s media production hobby and affinity for still and moving collages.
Be sure to catch Fascinator’s show at Slingshot Festival this Friday at the Georgia Theatre in Athens.
We got a few minutes with Lord Fascinator himself to talk about Slingshot, the band’s collages and masks, and what we can expect next.
Vinyl Mag: Are your social media photoshopped pictures and collages a social commentary of any kind?
Lord Fascinator: Photoshopped? For too long cosmic shaman like myself have been shunned by mainstream society. I’m just here to represent my people and beings of all planets.
VM: Your Facebook page says you’re inspired by Beck…do you have a favorite Beck album?
LF: Mellow Gold for fun. Odelay for tricks. Sea Change for emotions.
VM: Where did the idea of the mask come from?
LF: I want everyone and anyone to be in Fascinator. There’s a unique individuality to this unique brand of anonymity.
VM: Are you using the mask to hide from someone/something?
LF: No. I’m using it to expose something/someone.
VM: Most interesting crowd you’ve played (DJ’d?) for?
LF: Either Burning Man or when I performed my guided meditation, Lord Meditator, to a bunch of dinner dining families on white plastic furniture at Sydney Festival.
VM: Where do you get the inspiration for your psychedelic collage music videos?
LF: From deep, down inside. Or in front of my face. Or coldest, darkest space. See also Maurizio Cattelan, Alejandro Jodorowsky, or whoever’s world I’m sniffing around in at the time…
VM: Who are you most excited to see at Slingshot?
LF: Omar Souleyman, Holly Herndon, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Prince Rama.
VM: Favorite thing about Athens?
LF: The people and the food and the people who give you food.
VM: What’s next for Fascinator?
LF: Finishing up five videos so I can finally release my album, Man.
SXSW 2015: Clean Bandit x Vinyl Mag
Clean Bandit prides itself on gracefully meshing house and classical music while collaborating with some of the best vocal artists and DJs in the world. Their smash hit “Rather Be” featuring Jess Glynne has been a huge turning point for the band. We sat down with brothers Jack and Luke Patterson, who play keyboard and drums respectively, to talk collaboration, US tours, and flashing the goods.
Vinyl Mag: Can you tell us a little bit about your time in Russia? Was it a conscious decision to blend house music and classical, or was it just a happy accident for you guys?
Jack Patterson: It was kind of an accident. The initial genesis of it was quite lucky. It was kind of circumstantial. Grace had a string quartet, and I was helping them out a lot; I was doing recordings for them and helping them promote their gigs.
Luke Patterson: You said that you lived above a house record shop?
JP: Yes.
LP: I wasn’t there at the time. You said you were self-consciously being driven to making more electronic, more “housey,” not commercial, but more popular music.
VM: Why did you guys choose the title New Eyes for the album?
JP: There’s a song on there that I really like called “New Eyes,” which is actually named after a place south of France called New Eye. That just kind of Anglicized the version of that name, and we just liked it. It seems to fit.
VM: Did you have any idea when you were writing New Eyes how many people would like it – that 300 million people would be dancing to it?
LP: No, I don’t think we knew. For the singles, for the songs, we definitely had an idea that that was really going to take off, but in terms of the album, no. We just find it really cool that we’ve made this body of work into so many different types of music. It’s really humbling to hear that people respect that and are embracing all of these different styles.
VM: Do you guys have certain singers in mind when you’re writing the music, or does that just come later?
JP: It depends, really. Some of the songs we’ll work on with vocalists, half of it is written with the person who’s featuring, the other half is written with other writers. We’ve got a couple of long-standing friends that we write music with. Some of it is all of our own material, and that stuff is probably not written with anyone in mind.
VM: You guys do sing sometimes, but it’s usually just smaller stuff? You try to have as much collaboration as possible?
JP: I’m singing on “Dust Clears” and “New Eyes” as well.
VM: A little birdie told us you guys might be collaborating with Marina and the Diamonds soon. Can you comment on that?
JP: Yeah, we did a session, and it was definitely like a track in the works.
JP: She’s fantastic.
VM: How many times have you been to SXSW?
LP: This is our first time.
VM: How many shows are you guys playing?
LP: Five.
VM: Do you guys work closely with the DJ’s when they do remixes?
JP: It kind of just happens. It depends. Some of the remixes just got sent, and we’re like, “Okay, cool.” Some of them we’ve tried to get ourselves. With Gorgon City, we’ve done really cool remixes, like with our song “Nightingale,” which we play live. It’s really an amazing interpretation of the track.
VM: Have you guys been in any flash mobs since your video for “Rather Be”?
LP: We had a flash mob in Japan.
JP: Luke likes flashing in mobs. He likes flashing to the general public.
VM: What’s the biggest difference playing concerts or festivals in the UK as opposed to the US?
LP: So much more up for it, for the US.
JP: We haven’t really done a lot of US festivals yet. This is our first, but the crowds are just really nice, really warm. It seems like they’re much more ready to let go in the US. You have to work a bit harder to get there in the UK.
LP: You have to really persuade them to have a good time.
VM: What’s next for you guys? Are you going to do more festivals here, or are you going to go back?
JP: Yeah, we’ve got a few more shows. We’ve been touring now for six weeks in the States.
LP: We got Coachella and Governor’s Ball.
VM: Who are you most excited to see at SXSW?
JP: Probably Marina and the Diamonds.
VM: Would you consider yourselves “food truck” people or “BBQ joint” people?
JP & LP: What’s food truck?
VM: Austin has trucks all over the city that sell unique types of delicious food. You need to try it, ASAP!
JP: Okay, sweet! I’m excited.
VM: Anything else you’d like to say?
JP: New single “Real Love,” check it out, our album, and a new video we just put out for a song called “Stronger.”
*You can check out Clean Bandits new video for “Stronger” below!
SXSW 2015: Parlour Tricks x Vinyl Mag
Made up of three girls and three boys, Parlour Tricks’ sound is every bit as balanced and effortless as their group dynamic. We caught up with Lily, Brian, Morgane, Angelo, DeeDee, and Terry during South by Southwest to chat about their upcoming debut album, Broken Hearts/Bones, changing their name, and some interesting pre-show rituals.
Vinyl Mag: Last year when we interviewed you guys, you were still Lily & The Parlour Tricks. Why did you drop the Lily?
Lily: I left the band! No, I’m just kidding. It was mostly just a practical trimming of fat move. We refer to ourselves as Parlour Tricks, or just Tricks, and so do other people. When someone asks, “What’s your band name?” and you say, “Lily & The Parlour Tricks,” inevitably they just get confused, so it just seemed like a natural move.
DeeDee: Another thing is that Lily is our bandleader; she writes all the music and all the lyrics, but we are a band. There are six of us, so it was nice. It felt unnatural and unnecessary.
VM: Having an even boy/girl ratio in a band is pretty rare; do you think that affects your dynamic?
Morgane: We actually say that’s one of the reasons we get along so well. We joke about it I think, but it’s also kind of true. The fact of it being evenly split allows there to be somewhat of an equilibrium, that’s magical and makes it easy.
VM: You guys put on a great show. Do you think your stage presence is a result of playing together for so many years?
Lily: Our comfort with each other has been there from square one, but I think it took time to understand. It’s still taking time; it’s an ongoing process. It’s definitely fun. Our main goal is to be enjoying ourselves on stage.
VM: Can you tell us a little bit about the writing process with the new album and maybe some themes that are going on?
Lily: It’s funny. This album was very personal, which is very, very new terrain for me. I used to write almost exclusively drawing from different stories or newspaper articles and stuff like that. It started with “Requiem” and “Love Songs” and “The Storm.” It was like a little game for myself. With other songs, our guitarist Angelo would call me and challenge me to write another song, and we would record that instead of what we were planning to record. It was an interesting challenge and fun, but it was personal in a way that I had not ever been comfortable doing before. I’m not an instrumentalist at all, but I got an omnichord for my birthday like two years ago, which Brian actually plays when we do acoustic performances. It has like eight chords on it, and it’s very limiting, but in a safe way for someone who doesn’t play an instrument. I began writing on that, and it became weirdly integral to the sound of the album. We don’t play it on the album, but it became a necessity. I would send very bare bones voice tracks with three part harmonies and a bass line to them and begin to put it together.
VM: That sounds like a process.
Lily: This was a very lengthy but relaxed process. The fact that it turned out to conveniently be an album of 10 songs was a bonus. We just wanted to be working on these new songs in a new way.
Brian: It was a different palette and approach to music; you start getting more textures. It defined how we approached and created the album. We were searching for a sound that felt like us. It probably took longer than we wanted.
VM: We heard you guys split a lemon six ways before going out on stage every night. What’s up with that?
Lily: Morgane was sick one time with a 104-degree fever and needed to wake up. We had to go out there, so we all sucked a lemon together. I don’t know if we gave it much thought. It’s just like a slap in the face when you bite the whole thing and eat it.
VM: Being from New York, how did it feel to be named “Best Pop Band of 2014” by Village Voice?
Angelo: It was a really great feeling. If it was our moms voting it would be like, oh…but it’s the Village Voice – more than just our moms.
VM: Is getting so much positive press before your album drops more scary or satisfying for you?
Lily: I think it’ll be interesting. I have absolutely no idea what people will think about this album. None. It’s encouraging to hear people have responded well to the two songs we put out from it. I have no idea if it’ll lead to more press. Strong reactions are what we’re going for.
VM: You’ve performed a lot at festivals in the past year. How is SXSW different?
Lily: The first time we played at SXSW, we did like nine shows in four days, so this is kind of tame. SXSW is such a different animal; it has to be approached differently. Parking is the only really bad thing and having to navigate with all our gear.
Morgane: There’s something about SXSW. We know what to expect; we know it’s going to be crazy, and everyone’s going to come prepared.
VM: This is your third year at SXSW. Do you feel like every year you’re gradually seeing more opportunities as a result of playing here?
Brian: Every time we’ve come, or almost immediately after, we’ve seen a direct effect. In our minds, it’s totally worth it. We have a great time doing it.
VM: What’s the best thing you’ve eaten at SXSW so far?
Lily: We ate at this legit little diner called Magnolia Café. It was so delicious and out of the way.
VM: Who are you excited to see this year?
Morgane: Stromae! He’s a Belgian rapper. We also want to see some of our friends.
VM: What’s next for you guys?
Lily: Taking a nap. We’re playing a fun show next weekend at Rough Trade in New York with Bright Light – Bright Light from the UK. We’re going to be releasing “The Storm” in the spring with a video and then preparing to release the album.
*Check out Parlour Tricks perform their new single “Storm” at Austin’s Riverview Bungalow for Paste Magazine.
SXSW 2015: Melanie Martinez x Vinyl Mag
“Cry Baby is…like a pretty pink cake with rainbow sprinkles, but you open it up and there’s a gooey dark chocolate middle.”
Melanie Martinez may have gotten her start singing Britney Spears covers on NBC’s The Voice, but she’s proving to everyone that she has a unique and evolving sound. In addition to releasing the EP Dollhouse earlier this year, her single “Carousel” was featured on American Horror Story: Freakshow, and she’ll be gracing us with her presence at SXSW 2015. Martinez keeps things interesting with her signature half dyed hair, bright colored lipstick, and jewelry made of baby doll appendages. You do you, Melanie!
Vinyl Mag: How many shows will you being playing, and where will they be at SXSW?
Melanie Martinez: I’ll be playing six shows — Waterloo Records, Neiman Marcus, BMI, Perez Hilton, and the KAMX and KPEZ/KHFI radio shows. It’s gonna be fun!
VM: What was the best part about creating an EP like Dollhouse, which showcases your signature style as an artist?
MM: Dollhouse was the start to the whole childhood thing paired with the adult situation thing that I stuck with for the album. I was able to do three tours off of the EP, and I’m so stoked to put out the Cry Baby album so people can hear the new songs I’ve been working on for over a year.
VM: Did you write “Carousel” specifically for AHS: Freakshow?
MM: I didn’t, but it definitely fit this season perfectly. I wrote it like two months before I found out about the new season theme and sent an email to my manager, and we didn’t hear back from anyone for a year basically, and two days before they aired it, I got an email saying they were using it for the trailer. I was super excited.
VM: Can you tell us a little more about your upcoming album Cry Baby?
MM: Cry Baby is basically a giant pack of 13 story books. Each song is an individual story in this girl (Cry Baby)’s life and what she goes through. All of the songs have a childhood theme but are all paired with a mature/dark situation. It’s like a pretty pink cake with rainbow sprinkles, but you open it up and there’s a gooey dark chocolate middle.
VM: How do you think your time on The Voice has influenced your path as artist?
MM: I think it helped me with getting over nerves when I’m in front of a camera and under pressure in live show situations. I definitely feel more comfortable on stage, and I also learned a lot about behind the scenes TV stuff.
VM: What was the hardest thing about being in situation where you are not only judged by famous artists but also by an entire nation?
MM: Well, I never really focused on the fact that people were watching at home. It was harder for me to feel comfortable singing cover songs, because I’m a songwriter and just wanted to play original music.
VM: Can you play any other instruments with your feet besides the tambourine?
MM: Nope haha. I wish!
VM: Do you ever get sick of people focusing on your age?
MM: Usually people don’t focus on my age. Most people actually don’t know how old I am. So not really haha.
VM: Who are you most excited about seeing at SXSW?
MM: There’s so many people playing, I’m just excited to walk around and hear new music.
VM: Would you consider yourself more of a barbeque joint or taco truck gal?
MM: Definitely BBQ! Love me some ribs!
VM: What’s next for you after SX?
MM: Some more promo stuff, putting out the album, and just writing.
SXSW 2015: Bright Light Social Hour x Vinyl Mag
Bright Light Social Hour are returning once again to the South By stage this year after the recent drop of their new kick-ass album, Space is Still The Place. Known for their heavy touring, BLSH has gained quite the fan following – to say the least.
Their music, for those who haven’t caught the BLSH bug, is meant for the dance pop rock people with a psychedelic mind.Their sound is clean, wet, and bluesy but consistently driven by effects. Curtis Roush’s vocals consist of a beautiful falsetto but so drenched in reverb that you can trip on his voice alone. The only words I can write for Jack O’Brien’s bass mind is that he has an absolutely amazing talent, creating fills that are just so good you will get chills. Edward Braillif’s guitar handling is the washiest and cleanest of all the instruments included. Joseph Mirasole completes this foursome with his Strokes-like drum banging as he highlights their pop tones while also staying true to their bluesy vibes.
Be sure to check out Bright Light Social Hour at SXSW this year. For more info about their new album, their advice for navigating SX, and what is next on their agenda.
Vinyl Mag: Congrats on your new album, Space is Still the Place. I read that the concept of “Future South” sparked the creativity behind the album. Who coined that phrase? What inspired you guys about it?
Jack O’Brien: Thanks. Curtis did; it kinda summed up a lot of vibes we’d been bouncing around.
VM: I see you have been on quite the tour route through the southern side of the US. What was your favorite city you’ve played? And why?
JO: Personally, I love playing New Orleans. It’s just gritty and sexy and so much cross-dressing. It’s pretty future.
VM: When on tour, what’s the one thing you miss the most about Austin?
JO: Fresh jalapeños and family.
VM: I saw that you guys have recently affiliated with the non-profit Adopt A Star, giving away free downloads of “Infinite Cities” to those who adopt a star and win the contents. What sparked y’all’s interest in Adopt a Star?
JO: We all just thought that was such a cool gift, to give someone a star and even name it after them. It’s so cool, and not to mention proceeds help fund internationally-collaborative space research.
VM: Who are your brother bands? As in the bands that you call your great friends and don’t mind touring with.
JO: Migrant Kids, Spaceface, Walker Lukens and the Side Arms, The Tontons, Megafauna.
VM: As a native Austin band, what local advice do you have for SXSW-attendees – any restaurant recommendations?
JO: Hydrate. Be love. Eat only beef.
VM: Are you barbecue or taco truck people?
JO: Brisket breakfast tacos forever and ever amen.
VM: Who are you excited to see at South By this year?
JO: Talk in Tongues.
VM: What’s your favorite memory of SX?
JO: Probably going in high school, not being in a band, and trying to sneak into parties.
VM: What is next for you after the album release and SXSW?
JO: Tour, tour forever.
SXSW 2015: Camilo Lara x Vinyl Mag
Fusion is the name of the game in Camilo Lara (Mexican Institute of Sound) and Toy Selectah’s new powerhouse collaboration record, Compass. The eclectic brainchild of the Mexican DJ/producer duo has been in the works for over a year and will feature unlikely but nonetheless iconic guest performances by artists from all over the world including Boy George, MC Lyte, Eugene Hutz (Gogol Bordello) and Nina Sky – just to name a few. Seriously, there are over 90 incredible collaborations on this album, making it a possible candidate for one of the best dance albums to have come along in a while.
Check out our interview with Camilo below!
Vinyl Mag: What was the inspiration behind this project?
Camilo Lara: Friendship…’compass’ means buddies in Spanish. I always wanted to create an album with Toy [Selectah]. This was a good chance to make it happen.
VM: How many artists were collaborating at one time?
CL: It all depends. There are songs that have nine, and there are others that have two or three. We created the songs before the collaborations, so we just looked for the perfect match for each.
VM: How did so many artists get involved?
CL: We’ve been producing and working with all sorts of artists for many, many years. So when the project was happening either we knew them, or they knew about the project. We sent some emails, made some calls, and suddenly we had 90 collaborators.
VM: What was the hardest trial in making this project?
CL: Well, everything has been a challenge. First, we had to contact the artists and set up recording sessions. There were long days of mixing and editing. Then, there was the legal side. It has been a lot of work. Toy and I (as well as the whole team) experienced a real-life Master’s degree in music business.
VM: What should fans expect when listening to this album?
CL: I guess it has the flavor of Toy and I, with some other spices. We tried to create a truly global album. The dance floor is the same for reggae, cumbia, punk rock, or hip hop.
VM: How many songs are going to be featured?
CL: I guess the album will end up with 15 or so.
VM: What was your favorite city to work in?
CL: We enjoyed LA a lot; it was like recording at home. Tons of people we know live there. Overall, I guess we really loved traveling to Jamaica and recording there. It’s crazy—we have lived with Jamaican music all of our lives, but when you’re actually there, it’s unbelievable.
VM: Could you go siteseeing in between working?
CL: Not really, but we knew most of the cities already.
VM: After seeing so many cultures, what would you say would be one common denominator you noticed across humanity?
CL: Rhythm… it’s in our hearts, and we all live for it. It’s universal, and it does not need explanation.
VM: I saw in the teaser that the artists have to come up with ideas on the spot. How do you guys help each artist behind the creative process?
CL: We have been producers for a long time. Actually, one of our latest productions is the best-selling album in the Mexican market for the last 15 years (Los Angeles Azules, Como te Voy a Olvidar). So we are pretty experienced in that area.
VM: What was the weirdest meal you had on your travels?
CL: Toy is vegetarian, so I guess he didn’t have very many surprises. I would have to say that some of the food in China was pretty wild.
VM: Who are you excited to see at South By?
CL: I really really want to see Centavrvs, which is a band from Mexico City, and Clubz from Monterey—both are kick-ass bands.
VM: Where should fans expect to go in order to purchase this insane album?
CL: We are still figuring that out. All I can say is that the vinyl is beautiful. We teamed up with well-known Mexican artist, Gabriel Kuri, and the fantastic, legendary designer Antonio Chavarin to do the artwork.
VM: What is next for this collaboration? Will you continue working together or keep finding new artists?
CL: Always! This is an ongoing initiative. As soon as we are done with the tour, we will work on volume 2.
Check out Compass at SX!
3/18 SXSW DayTrotter- Session (Compass Full Band)
3/19 SXSW Rhapsody- Do Media ShowCase (Compass Full Band) 6:30PM
3/19 SXSW Remezcla House Party (DJ Set Compass) 10:00
3/19 SXSW SBS- Half Step (Compass Full Band) 12:40AM
3/20 SXSW Latinworks Party (Compass Full Band) 4pm
3/20 SXSW QuantumCollective@Whole Foods (Compass Full Band) 7pm
3/20 SXSW Mad Decent – Iheartxomix Dj Set Compass) 10:00 PM
3/21 SXSW Official Latin Showcase at Lady Bird Lake (Compass Full Band) 6pm
SXSW 2015: ELEL x Vinyl Mag
Depending on what night you catch them, ELEL could have anywhere from six to eight members at a time playing horns, keys, drums, and guitars. This eclectic mix of pop, jazz, and soul that hails from Nashville was born out of true love. With their first EP – self-titled ELEL – dropping just a few days ago, we have a lot to look forward to during their showcases at SXSW 2015.
VM: How do you manage to coordinate schedules to collaborate and play shows with so many members involved with the band?
Ben Elkins: It’s definitely tricky, but it’s just so damn worth it when we get in the van together or hop on stage together. We’re all from very different backgrounds, so every tour is a lesson in flexibility and understanding. But it’s paying off. It’s just such a fun and special crew of people, and I think all of us are very glad we stuck it out through the beginning and now have become a tight knit family.
VM: Will all seven members be playing at SX?
BE: There’s gonna be six of us there for most of the shows. We have some horn player friends who might join us for a showcase or two, but mostly just the six of us. Fredrick who plays trumpet for us got scooped up by a fancy cruise ship gig. He’s getting paid really well and traveling around the world. Pretty much what we’re doing without the paid-really-well part! He’ll be back with us soon though, for summer touring thank goodness.
VM: How has coming from rural backgrounds – like Arkansas and Kentucky – combined with living in Nashville influenced your music?
BE: I guess the pace down in the south is just a little slower. People are generally more laid back. I love going to New York and LA as much as the next guy, but they both feel more frantic. Our music, though not at all country or soul music, has been influenced by the ease and slower pace of both those southern musical traditions.
Also, the fact that most of us grew up around hills and trees, playing in creeks, I think makes us very interested in the organic live performance. So much of recorded music is so fit in and perfected now-a-days that it’s got no soul. ELEL struggles to keep humanity in our music even though we all use computers to record. Humanity isn’t perfect, so why should our music be? I’m not saying that we’re messy on purpose; I just know that we prefer things sounding like they do when they’re performed rather than after they’re fixed. We can relate to them more that way.
VM: Why did you choose these four songs for your EP?
BE: So far, all that’s been out and available is our single “40 Watt” which stylistically is one side of ELEL, but definitely not the whole thing. I just wanted to show ELEL’s other side on this EP. The softer vibe of both “Geode” and “Cherokee” introduce that part of ELEL.
VM: Will you be playing other songs like “Eliska” and “Kiss Kiss” during your showcases and SX?
BE: Yes, definitely! Those are probably my two favorite ones to sing in our set. The melodies are both so bouncy and fun.
VM: Speaking of “Eliska,” how does she feel about being the spark that started ELEL?
BE: She loves it! Thankfully, she really likes ELEL’s music. She’s got very good taste in music, so it’d be a real bummer if she wasn’t into the band that she inspired. She helps me a lot behind the scenes when I’m first writing songs. Her influence is probably way stronger than anyone would guess.
VM: Who are you most excited to see while in Austin?
BE: Our good friends, Avers. We just got off tour with them last week and already miss them so much!
VM: Would you say you are barbecue joint or a taco truck person?
BE: Taco truck all the way. We’re staying a few blocks from Torchy’s, oh boy…
VM: Any chance your hit song “40 Watt” has any relation to the beloved music venue here in Athens?
BE: [Laughs] Well, I’ve heard about that venue a lot, but never been. Needless to say, I hope we get to play “40 Watt” at The 40 Watt someday soon. Will rainbows fill the room? Will everyone suddenly stop watching Fox News? I don’t know, but when that goes down, something good and magical will occur.
VM: We see you guys are quite busy touring across country through April. What’s next for ELEL once you return?
BE: We have a lot of work to do here in Nashville. There are some new songs that we want to finish, probably for release in early summer. Also, we need to shoot a bunch of videos. We’re hoping to release our full-length by mid summer, so there’s just a lot of prep for that. We’ll also be doing some touring around the region. Give us a call, 40 Watt. Let’s make the magic happen.
SXSW Schedule:
Wed 3/18 – Palm Door – SXSW Showcase @ 12am
Thurs 3/19 – Off-Site – House Show
Fri 3/20 – Brew Exchange – Beautiful Buzzz x Vitalic Noise Party @ 1pm
Sat 3/21 – Wonderland Austin – BirdDog Presents Party @ 2pm
Sat 3/22 – The Scoot Inn – Wild Honey Pie Party @ 6:15pm