Category: Interviews
SXSW 2014: Samsaya x Vinyl Video
We found our way to the Hilton rooftop pool (life is sooo hard) in downtown Austin during South by Southwest for this picturesque interview with “magma pop” sensation, Samsaya. This girl is seriously the bomb.
Before SXSW, I was totally obsessed with her music (everyone should get after her track “Stereotype”), and now I’m totally obsessed with her as a person. It’s really refreshing to meet such an enthusiastic and – for lack of a better word – “chill” artist. No ego. Just a love for what she does and an excitement to talk about it (Samsaya, if you’re reading this…you’re so awesome let’s have tea or something soon?).
This interview was seriously just a damn delight. Check it out for yourself, and watch us talk about her album Bombay Calling, her views on stereotyping, and the lethality of pop music.
SXSW 2014: Moon Taxi x Vinyl Mag
I was super pumped when I learned that I was going to get to interview Moon Taxi at South by Southwest this year. Having been a fan for years, I’ve seen them live quite a few times (it doesn’t hurt that I’m from Nashville, Moon Taxi’s city of origin). I loved them first as a local band, and later, once they blew the hell up, as a big, badass, international touring band. Check out our interview below to read about their newest album, Mountains, Beaches, Cities, as well as what is next for them (tour, tour, tour!!).
Vinyl Mag: You have a really busy year coming up. I know you’re playing Red Rocks with Umphrey’s, and you just played Conan. Tell me more about what projects and events are you excited about.
Spencer Thomson [guitar]: In April, we’re doing a pretty big tour with a band called The Revivalists. A lot of that is on the East Coast; we’re excited about that. We’re doing a couple nights in Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville – we’re stoked for that. After that, it’s pretty much straight to festival season, which we’re excited about. We’re doing Hangout, Wakarusa, Mountain Jam, and Counterpoint…I think some others.
VM: You’re playing a ton of gigs! Are you guys working on any new material?
Spencer: Yeah, we’re trying to balance it. We’re doing a month of touring and then spending time at home writing. We just started writing pre-production for the next record. Very early stages right now, but that’s the goal – to spend the rest of the year half touring, half working on the next record. Hopefully, we can put it out early in 2015. That’s the plan now, but we’ll see. Things always change.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit about the name “Moon Taxi?” I’ve always wondered where that came from.
Spencer: Honestly, the story changes every time someone asks. We booked a gig before we even had a name. Some friends of ours had a band, and they asked us to open, but we barely knew any songs; this was like a really early incarnation of the band, but they had to put something on the flyer to include us. Somehow, “Moon Taxi” came up. Then, it just stuck forever.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit about the evolution of the band? I know you started out in Nashville and played a ton of gigs and got this great following, especially with frat parties.
Spencer: We started playing together in college. Once we were all done is when we really started hitting the road a lot. We spent a lot of time touring. We were touring on a live album, and the sound back then was a little different. It was a little more “jam-band-y” than it is now.
VM: I remember those days.
Spencer: The good ‘ole days. We spent a lot of years touring when we weren’t really satisfied with anything we had done in the studio. We kind of had a revelation that we really wanted to hone in and focus and start making great studio music and put as much time and effort into that as we were into playing live. That was around 2011. We changed the way we wrote and thought about records a lot. Then we made the record that came out in 2012, Cabaret. Finally having a studio record that sounded good – that we were proud of – really opened a lot more doors for us. We got more attention than just playing live. Obviously, we still play tons of shows, and that’s how we’ve gotten our name, and we’ve made a lot of progress that way. I think we’ll always be a band people want to see live, but now we’re trying to balance that with also having really good studio records. I think that combination has really helped us get to the next level.
VM: What is your favorite memory from recording your latest album, Mountains, Beaches, Cities? Where did you record? I love the album art, by the way.
Spencer: Oh thanks. This guy from Australia did it. He just sent us an email and was like, “If you guys need artwork, let me know.” We looked at his stuff and were like, “Alright.” Everything he’d send would be spot on from the first time. His name is Samuel Johnson. We do a lot of the groundwork [for the record] at my house. We spend a couple days in a big, proper studio. This one we did in a studio in Nashville called Sony Tree. Then we mixed it with the same guy who mixed our last two records, a guy named Anse Powell. The majority of the time spent making the record, as far as recording goes, actually just happens in my house, which was a big change we made. Previously, we’d sit together, write songs in a practice room and jam it out. That really wasn’t getting us the result we wanted, so we stepped back, and now it’s more of a nuanced approach.
Trevor Terndrup [guitar]: We do a lot on the pre-production side. We get these songs pretty much done, and then we just got to go into the studio and fill in the blank pieces, which is bass and drums. One of my favorite moments was in the song “Beaches” – at the end, it has this altro sequence that really peaks at a nice point and has a more live feel. It goes from a very studio-oriented song to a live version, but the transition is kind of seamless. That was one fun part for me, getting in the studio and trying to peak out live.
Spencer: That song, also, we recorded this nice ambient noise at the beach from the balcony.
Trevor: I didn’t actually get credit for my best boy grip – best man grip, actually. I was holding the mic out there. To capture the sound, you really need the proper mic technique.
Spencer: And placement.
Trevor: Placement is key.
VM: Could you each tell me about your role and what each of you brings to Moon Taxi?
Tommy Putnam [bass]: In the early days of the band, I booked all the shows and took a booking agent, managerial role. I still do a lot of that; I work closely with our booking agent to make sure the shows that we’re doing are fitting and we get paid enough money. I do a little bit of writing, too and just keep the bass down.
Tyler Ritter [drums]: Other than being Tommy’s bodyguard, my job is mostly just to complement what these guys write as close to their original vision of the song as I can and still put my voice on it, because I’m not one of the people who’s bringing an original song from the beginning to the table. I’m usually there at the end trying to put my flavor on it, but I’ve still got to keep it within the original mindset of the writer. I like doing that; it’s fun. It’s cool to adapt to other people’s tendencies.
Wes Bailey [keyboard]: I play the keys. That’s all I got.
Spencer: I’m an alcoholic. I’ve got some vices I’m dealing with, and I’m shaking. I arrange all of our travel, and I launder all of our money.
VM: So how is your “South By” going so far?
Tyler: There’ s a lot of walking and trying to get into things that you’re not allowed into. I do find it upsetting that people with badges that work for the bands can get into whatever they want very easily, and the bands that actually provide them with a source of income and a job aren’t allowed into places. You really could get into anything, you just have to bullsh*t your way into stuff.
VM: I’ve learned that a clipboard and a walkie-talkie are a great way to get into something. Just act like you’re really stressed out. So how many shows are you playing for “South By” this year?
Trevor: 7 or 8. Just shy of 10.
VM: Which ones are you most excited about?
Trevor: That’s a tough question. I mean, what’s your favorite child?
VM: Touché. So, are you more of a barbecue or taco person?
Trevor: I actually like rainbow trout.
VM: Where did you find rainbow trout?
Trevor: Lambert’s.
VM: Oh! Lambert’s is great. Good, solid place.
Trevor: Yeah, with this lime quinoa salad with big hunks of avocado.
Spencer: We’re trying to keep our barbecue and tacos to a decent amount.
Trevor: Yeah, we’ve got to keep this figure going on.
VM: Tell me something really crazy about Moon Taxi.
Trevor: Well the name of the band came from…
VM: Let’s see if it’s different.
Trevor: It was a late, late night in Nashville, and I was trying to hail a cab, and I was having zero luck. It was one of those nights where nothing was going my way.
Tyler: So, Spencer got really mad on Trevor’s behalf and pulled out a gun and started shooting everybody.
Trevor: That later became the Moon Taxi trials, and there is still an ongoing investigation.
*Be sure to catch Moon Taxi on their current tour!!
Tour Dates:
Apr 16 World Cafe Live Philadelphia w/ The Revivalists Philadelphia, PA
Apr 17 Brooklyn Bowl w/ The Revivalists Brooklyn, NY
Apr 18 Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, NY
Apr 19 930 Club w/ The Revivalists Washington, DC
Apr 25 Counterpoint Music Festival Kingston Downs, GA
Apr 26 Civic Theatre w/ moe. New Orleans, LA
May 17 Hangout Music Festival Gulf Shores, AL
May 30 BottleRock Napa Valley Napa, CA
Jun 05 Wakarusa Music Festival Ozark, AR
Jun 06 Mountain Jam Festival Hunter, NY
Jun 29 Electric Forest Rothbury, MI
Jul 03 Sumtur Ampitheater w/ Umphrey’s McGee Papillion, NE
Jul 05 Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ Umphrey’s McGee Morrison, CO
Jul 11 Carolina West RibFest Asheville, NC
Jul 26 Equus Run Vineyards Amphitheatre Lexington, KY
Aug 22 Raleigh RibFest Raleigh, NC
Aug 23 High Point Hopfest High Point, NC
SXSW 2014: Casual Sex x Vinyl Mag
Who wouldn’t be intrigued by a band called Casual Sex?
So, honestly, we were originally drawn to them because of the shock value of their name (weren’t you?), but then we gave them a listen, and that’s where the real love affair began. This band is cool. That’s really all that I can say.
Their music is a bundle of seduction, fitting somewhere between Scissor Sisters and of Montreal on my party-time playlist (and with Sam’s Bowie-esque vocals thrown into the mix, seriously where has this band been all my life?). We caught up with them at South by Southwest this year to talk about their music, Southern hospitality, country walks, and their plans after the festival.
Vinyl Mag: So, tell me how your South By is going so far!
Sam [guitar/vocals]: It’s been very good, very great, very exciting. Very busy.
Ed [guitar]: It’s been amazing; people have been amazing, Austin locals have been so nice. We got picked up the other day by a complete random and taken to a show, ’cause we were carrying all our equipment along a long street. So yeah – it’s been amazing. The shows have been fantastic; we’ve had a great reception everywhere we’ve played, so it’s good.
VM: How many shows are you playing through South By this year?
Ed: Six. Is it six shows this year?
Peter [bass]: Yeah, I think we play about six shows. Our last one’s tonight at 10 o’clock.
Ed: We played at the British Embassy yesterday, and it was great. So that’s going to be a hoot.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit about how the band got together and your process?
Sam: Yeah, well it kind of started…I run a studio, and we were running courses. I knew Ed anyways, a friend. And I had a lot of work together already and kind of came on board to play an old catalog of songs, and then eventually, Peter kind of muscled in. And we asked Chris to play drums. And then we all found out we worked fairly well together. So we became more of a solid, democratic unit.
VM: Your music is very…I mean, you’re Casual Sex, how did you get into the –
Ed: Well, the platform of the music was already there, and the name kind of went along with the platform. Sam had already written a body of work, and then we started writing together after our first show. We got what we had down and played a show. We got a great reception from our friends, and then we started getting serious about it and writing together.
VM: How close are the lyrics to your real life [experiences]?
Sam: It’s all 100 percent right; it’s pretty honest stuff. [Laughing] yes, I think you try and write about what you know, so there are a few illustrious experiences documented in the lyrics about sex.
VM: [Laughing] like cheating on your girlfriend?
Sam: Yeah, on the floor of a local occultist, so the press quote goes [laughing], but no it’s true, it’s true. I don’t get up to that sort of thing anymore.
VM: Now you just dress like you’re in the Matrix.
Ed: I dunno. It’s not leather. I was just trying to pull off a more of a – I dunno – a semi-British-goth vibe or something.
VM: I like it. How would you all describe your music?
Chris [drums]: Music with guitars you can dance to would be the easiest way to say it. There are too many genres in music. It’s ridiculous. It’s pointless to try and quantify it, you know.
Ed: And Peter and Chris are an unbelievably tight – almost like soul rhythm section, and we just embellish that sound with guitars. Sam’s actually an accomplished musician, and I can just play what I can play so…
Sam: The sound of tomorrow, now.
Ed: [Laughing] the sound of tomorrow, now.
Chris: I like to think that me and Pete don’t necessarily sound like two skinny white guys from Glasglow – maybe something the opposite of that, but I’m not sure.
Peter: But I think a lot of times, when Chris and I are coming up with things when we’re playing, there’s a thing of getting your guilty pleasures out and playing things you maybe couldn’t find a place to play anywhere else – sort of reggae influence or funk influence kind of things, but we have fun playing as a unit. It’s good but also fun playing as a four-piece.
Ed: We’ve been writing the songs almost live…we’ll come up with an idea and really quickly structure it, and then we’ll record it. Sam has a lot of poetry that he can just put down, and we tend to actually write a track and record it in that one session. So we really really work quite well together. Not many bands can do that. We usually do it live as well. Almost everything we’ve done has live tapes.
Sam: We track as much as we can.
VM: You guys have a really busy year. What projects are you most excited about? And what events?
Chris: I can’t wait to go back to France; we’ve been to France, and it treated us really well. I think it went down well there, and we’re going back in May for two weeks. France, and then the Netherlands, so another European tour. Touring there has been really fun.
Sam: I think we’re going Holland, Belgium, France, and I think our people been talking to Spanish promoters, so we’ll get us some nice food.
VM: What do you think about being in America?
Sam: I love it. I love being in the States. I mean, we were over here in October. And I lived here as a kid up in New Hampshire for a year, and I find something quietly reassuring about being back here with the signage. It kind of almost feels homey at times. But Austin – when you go further south – it’s got a stronger flavor; it’s very much its own identity. I think New York is kind of a bit like its own sort of thing really. I don’t really feel like going to New York is like being abroad; it’s just like being in New York.
Ed: Yeah, I’ve spent a bit of time in New York and the East Coast and California and Los Angeles, and this is the first time I’ve been in this part of the world, and there’s a complete contrast. Everyone is so nice here. And we’re not getting any fake vibes at all. Like everybody is being so nice.
Peter: It’s really quite sincere. The southern hospitality – the rumor of that, the stuff I’ve heard – is true.
Sam: It’s nice, and I love the accents. You always get, you know, the English people ‘ahh I love your accent.’ We do like southern accents. Texas accents. Amazing.
Peter: It’s really strange actually hearing people use the phrase ‘ya’ll’ in a sentence. I didn’t think that happened. ‘Ya’ll’ and people with Stetsons on.
VM: I’m a Tennessee girl, though.
Ed: Ah. Southern Belle.
VM: During your time in Austin, have you sampled any of the barbeque or tacos? It’s what they’re known for.
Sam: I’ve had the tacos. I’ve had burritos; it’s been great.
Ed: I’ve only had enchiladas, because I’ve recently turned vegetarian, so I’ve found it quite difficult. We need to have a nice vegetarian restaurant, because [laughing] I’m dying to have a steak. I’m craving a steak.
VM: So what’s next for you after South By? You’re touring Europe?
Sam: Well, we’ve got a month to finish an album, and kind of already in the process; a lot of it has been written. So just hit the studio, and then pretty much as soon as May comes around – by the third of May, we’re back out, over to Utrecht, and then all the way down to France.
Ed: Amsterdam. We’re playing the Paradiso in Amsterdam. Really looking forward to that one, and then yeah, back to Paris. We’ve got a couple of shows in Paris, and then we’re playing in and around Paris for ten days, so that’ll be great.
Chris: Hopefully we’ll have the album out…well, finished by April 16, 2014.
Sam: And then it’s the UK festival dates, they kind of start around then – in May – so when we get back, then there are various festivals. So the summer’s beginning to shape up, but it’s important for us now to get this record done, I think.
VM: Who’s the craziest member of Casual Sex?
Sam: In terms of crazy fun or crazy neurotic?
Peter: [Laughing] Crazy as in mentally ill?
VM: A little bit of each! We can have one for each. So crazy as in wild.
Sam: I go from two extremes, from being quite quiet most of the time. Occasionally, when I do go for it, I’m pretty nutty.
Ed: We’re all a bit crazy, and we all like to drink, and we all go out quite a lot. And we’re all… I’m past my crazy days now I think.
Sam: I’ve been there and done it. I quite like walking now.
VM: You’re the sheriff now.
Ed: Yes, I am the sheriff.
VM: You hold down the fort. You keep order.
Sam: I like fresh air and country walks now.
VM: Wow. Casual Sex likes fresh air and country walks.
Ed: We all like different things. I mean, we all do different things, socially. I go clubbing a lot. We drink in our local pub quite a lot. Chris, he goes to live shows all the time. I like to dance.
Sam: I like to spend most of my time in the studio. I’m usually in a cave, working. I’ve got a studio both at home, and I’ve got another studio, so I’m generally in front of machines.
Ed: I live with Sam, and he lives in a studio. He actually lives and sleeps in a mastering studio, and then he works in the studio by day. He’s living and sleeping the dream.
Sam: I love being surrounded by machines.
VM: In your cave.
Sam: Yeah, in my cave.
SXSW 2014: Drenge x Vinyl Mag
Drenge, a post-grunge brotherly duo from England, sat down with us during the week of SXSW to talk about things like music, American culture, and their obsession with Game of Thrones (that’s the second one this year— we can’t stop talking about it!). If you’ve ever held conversations with a couple of English lads, you understand where I’m coming from when I say there’s nothing more endearing than an authentic English accent. Check out what the guys had to say to Vinyl Mag below (and try to read it in proper English vernacular if you’re feeling really wild)
Vinyl Mag: When did you guys get into town? Have you played any shows yet?
Eoin Loveless: We got in late last night and played a show this morning at Red 7.
VM: Have you played South by Southwest before, or is this your first year?
EL: No, this is our first time.
VM: So, what are you excited for or hoping to take from this week?
EL: Well, the main reason we’re in town is to go to the Game of Thrones exhibition – really excited about that. All we really want is to find a way to be asked to do a song for the fifth series of Game of Thrones.
VM: Are there any completely American/Texan things you want to try or do while you’re in Austin?
EL: Well, I’m pretty into root beer right now, which seems to be American. We would like to have a proper barbecue, as well, but I’ve actually heard that Kansas is the place for that. Granted, I heard that while in California, and I had one of the worst burritos I’ve ever had there, so I’m not sure how much I can trust that statement. Also, I’ll be watching True Detective tonight, which seems pretty Texan.
VM: How old are you guys? Are you old enough drink or what?
EL: I’m 21, and Rory is 20, so he can’t drink, but he could probably out-drink the masses.
VM: How old were you when you started taking your music seriously?
Rory Loveless: I don’t know if that’s happened yet. Maybe one day. It would be nice to take it seriously.
VM: Do you feel like being not only a two-piece, but brothers as well, is an advantage or disadvantage?
RL: I don’t think it’s one way or the other, honestly. Maybe when we do start taking it seriously, we’ll get stand-in’s, or something.
VM: How much of a culture shock is it to play in the States versus playing in the UK?
EL: It’s fine. We’ve grown up on a lot of American culture with movies and television and whatnot, so it just feels like instead of it happening in a small box in front of us, it’s happening in real life.
VM: Were you excited to find out the lineup that you will be accompanying for the Reading and Leeds festival? There appear to be a good bit of acts playing that are actually playing SXSW this year as well.
RL: We played the festival last year on a smaller stage, but it was raining while we were playing, so everyone just came into the tent; there were about 4,000 people and two circle pits going, so it was a pretty intense show. People seem to really take to our music there.
VM: How much of an influence do you feel that Tom Watson was in the notoriety of Drenge?
EL: He kind of just introduced our music to a lot of people who didn’t really care, like political writers of national newspapers and whatnot. It does come up in every interview, so we do have that to thank him for. I don’t think him mentioning us boosted album sales or made people want to buy tickets to our shows, but in terms of the media, he did kind of put us in the spotlight.
VM: After this week, what’s going on for Drenge?
EL: Just a bunch of recording and writing and touring; nothing too different than normal.
*Click here to catch them on tour!
SXSW 2014: Blouse x Vinyl Mag
We caught up with Portland-based Blouse at South by Southwest this year to talk about Debbie Harry, New Zealand, bassist Paul’s alter ego and their changing sound! Enjoy, and then stalk them for tour dates. They’re definitely a band to see live.
Vinyl Mag: How has Austin been? Have you done anything crazy yet for South By?
Charlie Hilton [guitar/vocals]: It’s been good, but we’ve just been here one day. We got here Tuesday night, so we sort of tried to do too much last night and ended up like not really doing anything.
VM: Yeah, that’s the way it always is.
CH: But our show yesterday was fun; we played an important showcase thing. The weather’s beautiful, so we’re happy.
VM: Are you excited to be down here from Portland? It’s pretty cold up there right now isn’t it?
CH: Yeah, so far we’ve been on tour with Dum Dum [Girls] for like a week, and the minute we got to California, it was beautiful and hot and sunny, and it’s been that way pretty much ever since, because we been to New Mexico, Vegas, Arizona…so we’re getting a little spoiled, but we’re eventually going to go back to the cold in the North.
VM: Could you tell me a little bit about the evolution that you took from kind of synth-y, electronic music…I think I read a quote where you said you had wanted an album with nothing plugged in. I think that’s really cool taking that leap.
Arian Gillali [guitar/keyboard]: You know, Patrick has a good way of explaining it.
Patrick Adams [bass]: Do I?
AG: Yeah, What did you say in the last one?
Paul Roper [drums]: You didn’t want there to be any established rules.
PA: Yeah, yeah. I mean it kind of opened us up to not necessarily being a synth-pop band and doing a second record that didn’t have synth pop in it. I guess it was kind of a big statement, but we just saw it as just continuing to make and craft songs that we enjoy.
CH: It started off kind of practical. One of the other guys in the band was like, ‘synths are annoying, and I don’t wanna tour with a synth.’ And then, as we got more serious, it felt really important to try something new on the second record.
VM: It definitely made a statement. People in the blogosphere were going crazy about it.
CH: I mean, people definitely latched onto that aspect of the record – like, what it’s not – which may or may not be a good thing. I’m not really sure at this point, but I’m happy with the record, and we all like really love the songs. I definitely don’t have any regrets.
MF: What would you say were some of your inspirations that lead to your second record?
CH: When we first started the band, we were geeking out over Galaxy 500 and The Dream Syndicate…
VM: And Portland has that alt-rock vibe going on there, too.
CH: I mean, there are so many things in Portland happening right now, it’s hard to keep track.
VM: How do you think [being based in Portland affects your sound?]
CH: Oh, I think it definitely does in a big way. I remember making the last record. I was going out into the forest – there are these beautiful forests in Portland – and I spent a lot of time in the mountains in this cabin. It was winter, and I just was going through a dark period, so some of the songs definitely came from that. But it’s beautiful. I’m from LA, so I feel like the seasons there are really beautiful, even when it’s depressing…like, all the trees are dead, and they almost have this purple-y color to them…[laughs] I don’t know. To me, that’s really fascinating – trees with no leaves – gorgeous…
VM: They’re always giving away so much free stuff here! How do you [work together as a group? What are each of your specific roles?]
CH: I feel like everyone in the band is justa really good musician, and more than not, energetically, we’re really good friends, and so we really enjoy playing together. It doesn’t feel like a business.
VM: It’s key, because a lot of bands out there are strictly business.
PA: Yeah, we never really got that deep into that part. It’s more just like, ‘let’s try to figure out how we can all have fun and make this thing happen.’ And a little bit deeper into that question of how we each [contribute] individually. Arian’s been in a bunch of more synth-y, darker bands, and Paul –
PR: A lot of techno.
PA: A lot of techno. Paul was in a band that he toured with for a long time in New Zealand.
MF: New Zealand? That’s so incredible.
PR: Well, it’s green. It’s down over there somewhere…I wanted to get away! I wanted to move out; I wanted to get off the island, so I moved to America and –
CH: And he almost got kicked out, and we saved him.
PR: They saved me!
CH: That is the one thing that we were able to do…we got him a visa.
VM: What’s the craziest thing that’s happened so far at South By?
PR: Yesterday, we were watching the Dum Dum Girls, and Debbie Harry came out…
CH: Yeah, that was the craziest thing.
VM: What kind of projects are you working on right now?
CH: I’ve been working on this solo record with the label – our label – that I’ve sort of been talking about with them for a couple of years, so I’m hoping to finish that in June. And we just want to get home and start working on more Blouse stuff, too.
VM: Do you find [performing without the synth is very different from with it]?
CH: It’s a lot more fun, actually. The set’s really dynamic, and there’s a lot of energy in the new songsin a different way than the first record, so we can get really loud, and it sounds good. We’re just louder, and I think it’s just more fun. The mood can change a little bit more throughout the set, which is cool…it’s not as dreamy anymore.
VM: Where are you performing again?
CH: At the Hotel Vegas tonight…[and tomorrow at] the Absolut vodka Bed Head thing…it’s kind of in a crazy studio. They’re doing people’s hair, and the updos look incredible.
VM: I have one more question. Who is the craziest member? I feel like you all are really chill right now, but who’s the secret crazy one?
CH: It depends on the day, really.
PR: I have this alter ego that comes out…
CH: Yeah, we don’t need to…it’s a secret, but it’s in him somewhere.
SXSW 2014: The Silver Palms x Vinyl Mag
The Silver Palms are a pretty unique band, and I’m not just talking about their sound (which is pretty damn rad – be sure to grab a listen below). The Camden, Georgia-based band sat down with us at South by Southwest this year to talk about their hatred of Subway, how good-looking they are and what’s up with their all-black uniform (all before our interview got broken up by the cops…yeah, we’re badasses). Just don’t tell them they look like The Beatles.
Vinyl Mag: So, how’s your South By [Southwest] going so far?
Dalton Drury [vocals/guitar]: Alright, I guess. Yesterday was a show with some…bad audience.
VM: What happened?
DD: Well, they seemed like it. The first show was good, but the second show…
VM: I hear that you don’t like Subway. Your Facebook said that.
DD: If you’re an artist, you’re supposed to be cool. Why are you getting branded by Subway?
VM: But you might have something sponsored by Kmart?
DD: Yeah, exactly. That’s a joke. It’s a joke on all those sell outs.
Wade Beahm [bass]: We love Target though.
DD: Yeah, we do love Target. Target’s the stuff.
VM: So, Target can be your sponsor, but you hate Subway.
Adam Drury [guitar]: It’s gross.
VM: So, you like non-branded subs.
Dalton: Non-branded subs.
AD: For bands! For normal people, go at it, you know?
Jordan Scott [drums]: We’re above that.
VM: Can you tell me a little bit more about this all-black look you’ve got going on here?
Wade: We’re The Beatles, man.
DD: At least five times a day we get, ‘Oh look, it’s The Beatles.’
AD: That’s very true, all the time.
DD: We don’t want to look like The Beatles.
WB: The Beatles are a good-looking band, and, obviously, we are too.
VM: I want to hear a little bit more about how you guys started playing together. Can I get a little more of the background?
WB: Jordan broke my hand in football. I thought we were best friends.
JS: Then, our senior year in high school we were like, ‘yo.’ We saw Muse playing a show and we were like, ‘Wouldn’t that be amazing if we could do that?’ Screw going to college; we were going to become a band.
VM: How many shows are you guys playing for South By?
[All]: Four
VM: Tell me a little bit more about your influences for getting into music.
JS: Johnny Cash. We’re southern boys, you know?
VM: What’s your favorite venue you’ve ever played at?
JS: Newcastle. I love you guys so much, because I know you love me.
Wade: Shout out to you guys.
VM: In terms of Austin, are you more of a taco band or more of a barbecue band?
AD: A taco band?
JS: Meat is murder. Be a vegetarian.
VM: Wow! I’m a vegetarian.
DD: I’m not, so don’t high five me.
VM: So, you’re not going to tell us anything about your upcoming shows?
AD: We have a show at the Madison tonight.
VM: Nothing after South By? It’s all secretive.
WB: If you want to know, go on our Facebook.
VM: Tell me about your craziest South By moment.
JS: Last night, I was on a Pedi cab, and this girl was blasting hip-hop music. I was standing around, just whipping my shirt around and partying on. I was dancing, and everyone was chasing us taking pictures, it was great.
DD: We met this cat named Miguel.
VM: Tell me more.
DD: Alright, he has a sex move and a drink named after him.
AD: He’s a stud.
VM: Where did you meet this character?
DD: He’s a bass player, and apparently he’s really good. He was behind the bar making drinks for everyone.
AD: For no reason.
VM: What are you guys excited about for after South By? I know you’re going to some different festivals.
DD: Yeah, but we haven’t announced anything. I don’t know if I’m allowed to.
VM: Super secretive!
Dalton: You shall see if you want to know so much.
AD: Keep your eyes peeled.
*We did as we were told and checked out their Facebook. Voilà! Tour dates below!
TOUR DATES:
Apr 11 Garden Bowl Detroit, MI
Apr 12 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL Tickets
Apr 14 First Avenue Entry Minneapolis, MN
Apr 16 VFW Missoula, MT
Apr 17 El Corazon Seattle, WA
Apr 18 Hawthorne Lounge Portland, OR
Apr 20 Milk Bar San Francisco, CA
Apr 21 The Satellite Los Angeles, CA
Apr 22 The Hideout San Diego, CA
Apr 23 Pub Rock Scottsdale, AZ
Apr 25 City Tavern Dallas, TX
Apr 27 Lamberts Austin, TX
Apr 28 House of Blues Houston Houston, TX
Apr 29 Circle Bar New Orleans, LA
SXSW 2014: Hundred Waters x Vinyl Mag
We here at Vinyl are not quite sure how to classify Hundred Waters. Are they indie? Are they electronic? Are they alternative? Perhaps their unclassifiable and refreshing sound is why we like them so much. Based out of Gainesville, Florida, all four members completed their self-titled album while attending the University of Florida (I guess we will let that slide this time. Go dawgs). This debut album garnered a significant amount of buzz, as producer and artist Sonny Moore (Skrillex) took notice and signed the up and coming group to his label, OWSLA. We met up with Nicole Miglis, Trayer Tryon, Paul Giese, and Zach Tetreault on the quiet third floor of the Austin Convention Center one sunny afternoon during SXSW to chat about their past year, their bucket list, and their evolving sound.
VM: 2013 was a big year for you guys, touring the US and the UK with acts such as Alt-J and The xx. How was that experience?
Nicole Miglis: It was a super incredible experience, and you learn a lot too, because you are opening for a band. And you are also like, this thing that you made in three months – this record that we made – we have had to stand behind for so long and learn how to adapt it to different situations. But meeting them was super inspiring, and they were really inspiring people to know and be around. It was incredible.
VM: You guys have a really unique sound that doesn’t really fit under a genre title. How would you guys describe your sound?
Trayer Tryon: Smart Dark.
VM: Has your sound evolved since the beginning?
Paul Giese: Yes, quite sufficiently. Our first album was made before we knew that this was going to be our everyday and before we knew we were going to be playing it live especially. This new stuff comes from two years of only thinking about music and only thinking about what it means to be doing this and meeting all of these inspiring people in music, instead of having to divide between school and work and what not.
NM: Yeah, it’s a full time thing now for sure.
PG: We are like 100 percent into it, whereas before the world was dividing us.
VM: How did the band form?
Zach Tetreault: We have all played music in different projects like for forever. Trayer and Paul were in a band in early high school, and I started playing with them at the end of high school.
PG: Awesomely, we were called Awesome.
ZT: Yeah, their band was called Awesome. Then we had a little project called We Are Trumpets, and then in college we met Nicole at university, and I would always go see her do solo shows, because she has an awesome solo project that no body knows about.
NM: Top secret.
ZT: Because she doesn’t let anybody know about it. And then we all joined this group together in college called Levek and toured with that, and then it sort of evolved into this. That’s the short of it, but yeah school and music bound us.
VM: So you guys have already performed here in Austin, TX for South by Southwest. How was that experience?
TT: Yesterday was great.
PG: Yeah, it was fun. We drove a long way and then flew and almost missed the flight. The show was all the people that were around most from where we drove. It was kind of funny, but it was good. It was a good beginning show, because it was really hard and rough, so it made us feel alive.
TT: It was our label showcase, which is OWSLA, which is like a lot of dance music mostly. And we don’t get to do a lot with them, because we aren’t really similar to most of the acts. This is one of the few things we have done with that family, so it was cool to be a part of it.
NG: Tonight, we are playing the Portal Showcase with Angel Olsen and Mark Kozelek, who I was obsessed with in high school, so I am super excited to play a show with him. He was like my first real music crush. I am super honored to be on that bill.
VM: Any particular show later in the week you are really looking forward to performing? Or anyone that you have already seen that really impressed you?
PG: Yeah, we really want to see Mark Kozelek.
NM: We are trying to see Empress Of, but she is playing right now.
TT: We wanted to see Ms. Gaga, but we just missed her. We are standing right where she was.
VM: If you guys could perform at any venue, what would it be?
NM: I don’t know. I don’t really know enough venues to be honest. I feel like the most exciting thing to do would be to play at your own venue, like set up your own thing somewhere. I don’t really have any venues that I idolize or anything like that.
TT: You don’t really know venues until you play them.
VM: Who would you say your main influences are?
TT: John Petrucci, Quincy Adams, Michael J. Fox, Rick Wakeman.
VM: If you guys could perform with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
ZT: Nicole.
TT: Yeah, Nicole.
NM: I don’t know to be honest. The people that I know are the people I enjoy most being around and touring with and watching, because I know about their life. It means more to me when I see them perform.
PG: Let’s pick one. Let’s pick a dead fella. But how about watch instead of play. I think John Coltrane would be great, because it would be kind of sacrilegious to stop any time spent with him talking.
SOHN x Vinyl Mag
SOHN, aka Christopher Taylor, is making moves on the charts. The singer, songwriter, producer and musician from England has just released his new record Tremors, along with a series of video sessions with his label, 4AD.
SOHN sounded absolutely thrilled about the new album. “I think a lot of people – especially in the States – a lot of people have an idea of me as a producer or a remixer,” he said during our Skype interview on his day off in Cologne, Germany, but this album features his vocals and songwriting on every track. “Actually, first, I’m very much a singer and a songwriter on the album.”
The release of the new record happens to coincide with the one year anniversary of SOHN joining up with 4AD records. What does he like most about being with the label? “With 4AD, they’re very much like, ‘we’ve signed you for whatever you decide to be, so it’s your call’ basically, which is great,” he said.
When asked about his songwriting process, SOHN revealed that inspiration often comes to him while on the go. He writes down these ideas on whatever is available—phone, notepad—and goes into the studio to turn those ideas into music. “It’s only at the end of the song where I really get to know what the song is about, or what it’s saying” he said.
The album is reaching early success in the UK and Australia, but SOHN is very humble. “I wasn’t prepared for and I didn’t really understand that there were people in these countries that even knew anything about me,” he said laughing, “So that’s been really mad.”
Vinyl Mag: Where are you off to next?
SOHN: We’ve got a show here tomorrow, and then I have no idea…I’m not really keeping on top of all that stuff right now, just doing what I’m told to do.
VM: It’s been about a year now that you’ve been with 4AD, right?
SOHN: Yeah, it is actually – if it’s April, it is a year.
VM: So how has that experience been? How has that influenced your art and music?
SOHN: The label trusts in the artist that they signed to do whatever they think is right…which is an amazing situation to be in with quite an international label. I see it a lot working with major labels for other people…that process can normally be quite difficult…but with 4AD, they’re very much like ‘we’ve signed you for whatever you decide to be, so it’s your call’ basically, which is great.
VM: So, what are we to expect from Tremors? How is this new and different?
SOHN: Every track on the album has my vocal on it…I think a lot of people, especially in the States, have an idea of me as a producer or a remixer…actually, first, I’m very much a singer and a songwriter on the album.
VM: Take me through the songwriting process – where do you begin, and what inspires you?
SOHN: I normally start while I’m moving. If I’m en route somewhere or walking around somewhere, or driving around somewhere, then a lot of the time, a melody, or some kind of musical motif will sort of come into my head. And I’ll just record that on anything I’ve got around me at the time – say my phone, or whatever – and then I sort of build up a small catalog of those – maybe about 10 – and then when I get the chance, I’ll go into the studio and just play with the ideas starting with the strongest motif first. And then I kind of go into a bit of a daze, basically…then whenever I sing, it starts to form words by accident, and then I try to construct the lines to make use of those words…it’s only at the end of the song where I really get to know what the song is about, or what it’s saying.
VM: I was watching your videos for “The Wheel” and your 4AD sessions, and I was reading about your friend, Andreas Waldsheutz – tell me about that relationship and those videos; I heard they were [Stanley] Kubrick inspired.
SOHN: [Andreas is] awesome. He’s a fashion photographer friend of mine in Vienna…we’ve just always been friends, and his work has continued to get better and better…I knew that whatever he would do would be amazing to look at. We worked very closely. We decided what we were going to do and came up with the concept…we had two days shooting, and all of the ideas [we originally had] just totally changed…and I’m absolutely delighted with the way that they’ve all come out…I think that it’s so strong visually.
VM: What are you looking forward to most on your upcoming tour, and in the future of releasing your album?
SOHN: I’m looking forward to the realization that people have actually been thinking about my stuff without me really realizing it, [laughing] because the album [just came out], and it’s started hitting charts everywhere, and I had no idea. I had no idea that there were people out there ready to buy this album, or that were interested in it, or that were talking about it. Since today, I’ve really started to see that happen. You know, you’re going straight to the top 20 of the iTunes charts in the UK, and all these things…I didn’t really understand that there were people in these countries that even knew anything about me, so that’s been really mad…this show in Cologne is nearly sold out, and I’ve never once been to Cologne.
VM: What about Spotify? What about these web streaming services? How have they affected your music?
SOHN: My feeling about that…especially when launching your career, is that the more your music is available, the better. I don’t really want any medium of listener to try to find my music and not be able to find it…you kind of have to realize that and get on board, or very much swim against the tide of how people are likely now to reach their music. I wouldn’t purposefully not put my stuff on those services just to stop those people being able to get it for cheaper or for free, because for me it’s just more important that those people can hear the music. I think that we start to learn that, in music, there are different revenue streams available, which don’t necessarily mean that people need to pay for music in the same way they used to anymore. You still have the touring and a million possibilities of other ways to keep afloat as a musician.
VM: If you could play a show with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be, and where would you perform?
SOHN: Bjork in the English National Opera, or otherwise Dr. John in New Orleans.
VM: Would you consider them some of your musical influences? Who else has influenced your music?
SOHN: Yeah, definitely. Like Tom York was a big influence on me when I was a bit younger, particularly. The Knife was a pretty big influence on me – a lot of things about them. And even down to Paul Simon, actually – I really like his way with words, and so that’s kind of something I grew up to know.
VM: What would you say is the hardest part about making electronic music nowadays?
SOHN: Probably people thinking that you’ve constantly got to be breaking some kind of barrier, which is not always possible, and not even always what you want to be doing…there’s definitely a snobbery in electronic music. It’s difficult to know when you’re going to fall on one side or the other of that snobbery [laughing], and there’s no real rule to it. From one source, you might be considered a really important electronic musician, and from the other side they might be like, ‘they’re not doing anything groundbreaking enough,’ so it’s difficult. I’ve noticed, in some quarters I’m seen as revolutionizing some sort of electronic music thing, and the other side, I’m just the opposite [laughing] so you just can’t tell. Basically, I’m just a singer who writes songs and makes music electronically. That’s more who I am. I wouldn’t say I’m an electronic scientist, in terms of the way of making music.
VM: What would you be doing if you weren’t making music?
SOHN: Probably walking somewhere [laughing].
VM: Walking somewhere? Is that one of your pastimes? Your favorite hobby, just walking?
SOHN: Well, it would be. If I ever had time, it would be. I mean, I haven’t done that for years and years and years. I like the idea of in some way like a pilgrimage, even if it’s not a religious pilgrimage, because I’m not religious, but this kind of idea of making a journey by yourself based on your own animimalistic possibilities. Like your actual body and your physical self, and just pushing yourself, just doing a sort of four-week hike over mountains and lakes, and arriving somewhere else.
SXSW 2014: Lily & the Parlour Tricks x Vinyl Mag
Lily & the Parlour Tricks is a soulful sextuplet based out of NYC. According to their bio – and evident in their sound – their influences range from The Andrews Sisters all the way to The White Stripes. During South by Southwest, we sat down with Lily, Brian, Terry, Morgane, Angelo, and Darah to see what they had been up to in the past and what they plan on getting into in the future. Read about all about it and more below, and check out their website for a stream of their latest release, Requiem, as well as upcoming tour dates.
Vinyl Mag: Is this your first SXSW?
Lily: It’s our second; the first was in 2012.
VM: Is there a reason you took a year off from it?
Lily: Yeah, actually, a label saw us at SXSW 2012, and we got into a development deal with them through 2013, so it made sense not to come- but now we’re back.
VM: What set have you had your heart on catching while down here?
Lily: Definitely St. Vincent.
VM: This question is for the guys- I watched a bit of your interview with Rock on Philly, and Lily mentioned how you were super into 90’s R&B; as a fellow R&B appreciator, what kind of 90’s R&B are your particular favorites?
Brian: Bone Thugs for sure, Montell Jordan, Brian McKnight…
VM: Oh snap, you guys are the real deal!
Brian: Well, the thing is that we did a run of shows once, and Angelo had found this Planet Groove: Best of 1997…
Lily: I think that was the first time we had ever gone out of town together, actually.
Brian: It was! So that was our soundtrack for about three straight days. And now it’s just a thing.
Terry: It started as a joke, and now we’re all into it.
VM: Being a larger group, how do you travel?
Lily: Well, now we have a van courtesy of Angelo. But usually, if we’re out of town, we rent a big SUV or something. Otherwise, we just split into two cars; usually, it’s just the “boys” car and the “girls” car.
VM: Here’s a question I’ve found relevant with this week: are you food truck people or BBQ joint people?
Lily: Both! We’ve done Iron Works already, but we’ve also done the food trucks. Really, we’re just food people.
VM: What has been your favorite so far?
Lily: Gus’s has been mine.
Darah: The best fast food truck at SXSW is Chilantro’s for sure.
Brian: We were discussing earlier how the food truck situation is really interesting and awesome, but I don’t know- I always leave hungry. It’s an experience more than it is a filling meal.
VM: You’ve mentioned how “Belle Gunness” was just a demo when it was picked up by BMW for their new commercial- have you since gone back and mastered it or left it as is?
Lily: We left it as is.
VM: And that wasn’t the plan originally, was it?
Lily: No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t the in the plan to release it all, necessarily, but we like it, and it sounds good. Now, we have all of these demos that we had done with this label, and we’re allowed to release them. We may or may not do that, but it’s kind of an amazing position to be in.
VM: Are the lyrics a collaborative effort or do you [Lily] do all of the writing?
Lily: I do all of the writing; it’s just how it’s happened. I 100 percent look at it is as a collaborative effort; it just happens to start with me. I send them skeleton recordings, and then it’s formed from there.
VM: Last question- I read that you’ve been going back and forth from Nashville to work on a lot of recordings- are you still going back and forth, or has that wrapped? What can we expect musically in the near future for Lily & the Parlour Tricks?
Lily: We just went in February for a big session, and we got six songs out of it, so now we have a total of 13 to work with. We’ve just released the first single titled “Requiem,” and we plan to release another single. After that, it’s wide open with what we want to do with the rest of it.
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.