Tag: sxsw
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SXSW 2017: Goon x Vinyl Mag
Los Angeles indie rockers Goon are a breath of fresh air, generating buzz around South by Southwest with their enticingly individualistic lo-fi jams. Singer-songwriter Kenny Becker leads the quartet, writing songs in his room and fleshing them out with the rest of the band.
Kenny’s affinity for making music stems from an unlikely place; he suffers from a medical condition that periodically deadens his sense of smell and hearing. Instead of letting it bog him down, he decides to make music during the periods in which he can hear clearly. The result is a pleasingly subdued sound that can only be described as summertime music.
They’re first EP Dusk of Punk establishes a seasoned sound that most bands don’t develop until after they pop out a couple of records, which is impressive to say the least. Goon is in the process of creating their debut album, and we caught up with Kenny to get the details.
Vinyl Mag: How many times have you played SXSW?
Kenny Becker: This is our first time playing SX.
VM: Do you have any pre-festival rituals?
KB: Not like officially, but we took a bunch of rest stops just any time we saw them. Also we found this tunnel, and we just yelled at each other. It was very cathartic.
VM: Dusk of Punk dabbles in a variety of musical styles. Is that sort of what we can expect from your first full-length album?
KB: That is a great question. I hope to continue that sort of range. At the same time, I’m not trying to make that, like, something that has to happen at all costs. It was just kind of something that happened from writing songs and just being down with whatever we make. We’re trying to maintain that spirit of music first. We’re trying to not be pigeonholed into a genre.
VM: Are there any specific artists whose sounds you try to emulate or who inspire you in other ways when you’re creating your music?
KB: For me, personally, I’m inspired a lot by Pavement’s sort of sparkly guitar work. Boards of Canada is maybe my favorite band of all time. Their crazy sounds and synth tones are something I kind of aim for a little bit. I guess I would say Pixies, too.
VM: The album artwork for Dusk of Punk really encapsulates the general feel of the EP. Who created the artwork? Was it one of you guys?
KB: I actually painted that. Actually, before I was trying to pursue music full time, I thought I would be a painter full time, but I kind of ended up being both. I had this phase of painting monster dudes and after doing that, that particular image happened. I ended up really liking it. It kind of looked like the Kid A bear for Radiohead. Kind of simple imagery but still iconic. I just loved that it’s a potentially menacing looking figure for music that isn’t particularly menacing.
VM: What’s your creative process like for writing a song?
KB: Usually I just kind of write a song in my bedroom and record it, and we’ll sort of learn it as a band. And sometimes we’ll end up fleshing it out more as a band, but I usually have a pretty good idea of where I want to take it.
VM: Are there any artists outside of your genre that you’d like to collaborate with?
KB: I’ve thought about this in the past, and I’ve often thought of Bibio. He’s really similar to Boards of Canada, but he’s really capable. His production style is just insane. Every time I listen to a Bibio song, I’m just like amazed.
VM: If you could bring one artist back from the dead to play a show with, who would it be and why?
KB: This is probably the most obvious answer, but it would be Kurt [Cobain]. Jake and I were actually just talking about this last night. He died at this crazy moment where they were still a huge band and they potentially could have continued their upward trajectory. I was hearing recently about how Michael Stipe [R.E.M.] was talking to him about making a new record and making it more acoustic sounding. But on top of that, it’s fucking Nirvana. Playing a show with them would be insane.
VM: What albums have you been listening to recently that you’d like to recommend?
KB: There’s a band called Porches–their album Slow Dance in the Cosmos. It came out in 2013, and honestly it’s just kind of perfect. It’s really good emotional rock ‘n’ roll. I also relistened to In Rainbows and kind of had my mind reblown.
VM: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at SX?
KB: If I had to pick one, it would have to be our friends, minihorse. We played with them in San Francisco. It’s like muscly shoegaze. They’re so in control of their fuzz tones. Also Charly Bliss. They’re kind of like pop grunge in a way.
VM: What’s your favorite part of the festival experience?
KB: It’s just really exciting that so many people are here just for music. It’s easy to get bummed out as a musician, because you feel like nobody really cares about music anymore, which I don’t think is ever really true. Still, it’s cool that they like shut down a city for a day for music.
VM: What would be your dream festival lineup?
KB: Definitely Boards of Canada, because they never play live, and they’re kind of like a bucket list band. It would be kind of a weird lineup. It’d be Pixies, Pavement and our friends, Draag. The term muscly shoegaze also applies to them I guess. They have really cool synth stuff going on.
VM: Do you prefer barbecue or tacos?
KB: I’d have to go tacos. I grew up in San Diego, so I just grew up eating tacos.
SXSW 2017: Communist Daughter x Vinyl Mag
Minnesota indie rockers Communist Daughter are on fire. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for lead singer Jonny Solomon, who had to conquer a few demons before he saw success. Dealing with addiction and mental health problems before the band’s formation, he had several stints in treatment facilities and assumed the worst for his music career.
When Solomon reached rock bottom, he wrote a series of songs that he intended to be a farewell note to those he loved. He invited his friends—who would later become his bandmates—to help him flesh it out. The result was Communist Daughter’s acclaimed debut album Soundtrack to the End, which was released in 2010. However, the singer wasn’t done fighting his own personal fight, and checked himself into rehab soon after the release.
It seems to be true in Solomon’s case that some of the best art comes from the worst situations. He’s now fully recovered, with his positive outlook on life echoing in his music. Communist Daughter’s latest record, The Cracks That Built the Wall, received serious praise from critics. The album is a glistening light with bright guitars and an optimistic message. It’s a reflection of the artist’s upward motion, refusing to let his past weigh him down. We got in touch with him to talk about his SXSW experiences and what advice he has for younger bands as a festival veteran.
Vinyl Mag: How many times have you played SXSW?
Johnny Solomon: Officially this is our second time, but we went down there once for fun. It’s hard to be in Minnesota at the end of winter without dreaming of heading south.
VM: Do you have any favorite memories from the festival?
JS: We don’t go down there with weird industry dreams in our head. To me, it’s a chance to be in warm weather, plus it’s hard to see other bands play when you are always on the road. It’s great to just walk around and stumble into music. But my favorite memories don’t have much to do with music. We stay outside of the city, a little ranch way out there. My favorite memories are from there, soaking up a different lifestyle.
VM: Do you guys have any pre-festival rituals?
JS: We’re all pretty different about it. SXSW is its own beast, because you can let the logistical nightmares get to you, or you can just realize it’s all crazy and to take it as it comes. That’s why the ranch outside town comes in handy. This is the second time we are going to end our trip with a little acoustic show way out there for the folks that let us stay with them. So that’s a post-festival ritual.
VM: What albums have you been listening to recently?
JS: The Dig’s Blood Shot Tokyo. We just finished up three weeks with them. Probably my favorite band. I never got tired of seeing them night after night, and their album is now spinning around our tour van nonstop. I’m also listening to Hop Along’s Painted Shut. I’m late to the party on them, but I can’t stop listening to it. Such a great band and album. I need to creep on them and meet them. And then Paul Simon‘s Graceland always gets back in my headphones when I head south.
VM: The video for “Keep Moving” is beautifully done. What was the inspiration behind that?
JS: The director (Nate Matson) and I went back and forth a bit with that video. The song is very personal, and he connected with it right away. But it was hard to make a video that complimented that without making it so overtly literal. I was worried, but Nate lined things up right to make it right. It hits all the same themes without being in your face.
VM: Who were some of your musical inspirations for The Cracks That Built the Wall?
JS: The Beach Boys and Jason Isbell and a million other bands. It’s hard to pin down influences since the album was recorded over the course of three years.
VM: What inspired you to name the band after a Neutral Milk Hotel song?
JS: Honestly, I didn’t know it would be a thing, but Neutral Milk Hotel wasn’t around anymore when I started the band. They were one of those mystery bands that put out a masterpiece and then vanished. But it was so personal and intense of a record. I wanted to do that, so when I was writing songs by myself, I just thought I would take that as our name. I hate thinking of band names. They are all stupid until you are big enough for people to attach your music to it. I don’t think twice about my favorite band’s names.
VM: Were there any other songs you considered naming the band after?
JS: “Two-Headed Boy”? It’s hard to remember things from back then. I wasn’t in a really stable mental place.
VM: What advice would you give to an artist playing SX for the first time?
JS: Don’t go there for your own shows. Sure, play some, and be good at it. But don’t go there with some sort of idea that you are going to do anything important. Just enjoy the fact that every indie band you want to see that year is all in one place with tacos and beer, for the drinkers. Also, get all the free stuff you can. Sunglasses for days.
VM: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at SX?
JS: Not sure, I’m still in tour mode. I try not to think more than 48 hours ahead. I’m sure I will have an idea on Tuesday when we get there.
VM: What’s your dream festival lineup?
JS: It changes every day. I make a Spotify playlist, and then those are the only bands I care about for a week. Then I make another one and it’s totally new. But I have some all time favorites. If I were to put one together one off the top of my head [it would be] Paul Simon, Jason Isbell, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Angel Olsen, Hop Along, Death From Above 1979, and The Dig. And us of course. I want to be in my favorite festival.
VM: What shows are you guys playing?
JS: CLIF Bar Bash, SESAC Showcase, Central Presbyterian Church and Best Lil’ Big Fest.
VM: What’s your favorite part of the festival experience?
JS: The energy. It’s food, sunshine, super excited people and shiny free things everywhere. Then I go out of town and eat barbecue and finally get some sleep. It’s the end of three months of touring for us.
VM: We have to ask every artist playing SX: do you prefer barbecue or tacos?
JS: That’s not fair. Everyday food: tacos. Special meal: barbecue. I love barbecue, but I couldn’t eat it every day, because it would kill me. But pretty much every taco everywhere is good. I will eat a taco anywhere, any time.
Communist Daughter at SXSW:
3/14 – 3pm The Blackheart – 86 Rainey St – ” CLIF Bar Bash – The Current and NoiseTrade”
3/15 – 11pm Lamberts Downtown Barbecue – 401 W. 2nd St – SESAC Showcase
3/16 – 11:40pm Central Presbyterian Church – 200 E. 8th St.
3/18 – 5pm Tiniest Bar in Texas – 817 W. 5th St. – “Best Lil’ Big Fest”
Leo James Conroy Brings Jazz to the SXSW Stage
His music has been called “eye-watering brilliance” by BBC Radio 1 with “a depth not often seen in young musicians” according to The Equal Ground. But behind the high (and well-deserved) praise is a street performer from England just trying to get used to the Los Angeles heat. Leo James Conroy is taking the SXSW stage this year with his signature trumpet in hand and a soulful voice guaranteed to garner fans within the first few notes.
After what he calls a “series of fortunate events,” Conroy ended up in Los Angeles performing and making music. He draws from his biggest influence, Jeff Buckley, whom he’s been compared to stylistically. Somewhere between the classical music training, the teenage emo lyric writing and a love for jazz, his soulful sound emerged.
In 2015, Conroy made his debut with a self-titled EP under Black Treacle Records. Now, his sophomore album entitled Sinners By the Book EP is on arrival. The first song off of it, “Forbidden Fruit,” is already available and full of the falsetto and blues he does so well. Between this song and his video submission for NPR’s Tiny Desk competition, the new record will be one worthy of perpetual repeat.
As I chatted with the singer-songwriter, I heard more than his British accent—I heard passion. After watching his grandfather play the trombone, Conroy decided as a child to follow in his musical footsteps. Years later, he’s getting ready to make his SXSW return and make his granddad proud. See what the artist had to say below.
Vinyl Mag: So, first of all, what shows are you playing at SXSW?
Leo James Conroy: At the moment, I only have one. There’s another one that’s still in the works, but I’m playing at Stephen F’s Bar on Saturday, the 18th. I think I’m on about 9:00 p.m.
VM: Is this your first time at SXSW?
LJC: This is my second time; last year was my first time. I played solo last year, and then I’m heading out with a band this year.
VM: Do you prefer playing solo or with a band?
LJC: It’s different every time, you know. Each song has its own sort of mood and its own sort of energy, so it really depends. It’s going to be good to head out with the guys, because last time I was completely alone. So it’ll be nice to have some friendly faces out there!
VM: What do you do to prepare for getting on stage?
LJC: Honestly, I don’t really think about it. It’s kind of weird—I don’t ever get nervous when it comes to performing, but once I’ve finished performing, the nerves hit me after I’ve played. It’s really weird. I don’t have a warm-up ritual but my warm-down ritual is just heading straight to the bars as soon as I’ve finished, and that sort of balances everything out.
VM: You have an EP coming out soon. Are you going to play some of those songs at SXSW?
LJC: Absolutely! We’re really excited about it, actually. For the new EP, I’ve been experimenting with the setup, so I recently got a loop station so that I could loop my trumpet and loop horn lines, and it’s really cool to experiment with all these new sounds. So, the last couple weeks we’ve just been practicing like crazy, and we’re just going to blast all of the tunes from the new EP. I mean, it could even be an album because things are going really well in the studio. We’re ahead of schedule, so we may fill the time with some more tunes, but we’re undecided just yet.
VM: Speaking of the loop pedal, I loved your submission for NPR’s Tiny Desk competition. What inspired the arrangement of that song?
LJC: Well, I was sat at the computer because for my writing process, I never really have a pen and paper. I just sort of sit and freestyle and then hit the record button, and then if something sounds good, I’ll keep it. So, I just laid down the guitar and vocals and thought, “hey, this could use some trumpet” and then I put some trumpet in and actually it just sort of came out nowhere. I showed a couple of friends and thought, this is something a bit different–let’s roll with it! Since then, I’ve written quite a few songs now with that kind of looped trumpet setup, which is really fun.
VM: Do you feel like the loop station has changed your writing process?
LJC: That’s a great question. I honestly don’t know, but I wouldn’t say it’s changed my writing process, because I firmly believe that whenever you write a song you should never have to rely on technology for it to be a viable piece. I like songs to be as raw as they can, but every now and then if something just needs a bit more energy, it’s always cool to pull the trumpet out since I can’t play the trumpet and the guitar physically at the same time. So, I wouldn’t say it’s changed it, but it’s definitely given me a new sort of weapon in my arsenal, and it comes to live shows.
VM: When you’re writing a song, do you usually start with the music like you did with “White Noise?”
LJC: I actually wrote the lyrics months before I put the music to it. It was actually going to be a slow, piano ballad. The song itself is a little bit about insomnia and when you get horrible thoughts when you can’t sleep, and then it turned into self-loathing, which it’s really sort of angry and weird. I thought, this isn’t good for me–I need to get these thoughts out of my head and put them on paper. Then I sort of stored it away and didn’t think of anything, and then I started playing around on the guitar and thought, “I wrote those lyrics all that time ago, maybe I can use them,” and then it just came together by accident really.
VM: Does the style of that song reflect what will be on the new EP?
LJC: Yeah, it is! Growing up playing music, I learned to play trumpet first and then as I started singing when I got older, I sort of swayed away from it, and I’ve missed it. These last few months I’ve really been trying to get back into playing some more. I’ve definitely included a lot more jazz, soulful, bluesy, and I just think the trumpet compliments that kind of well. So, it’s that very similar feel.
VM: You’ve been compared to Jeff Buckley and Amy Winehouse. Are those some of your musical role models?
LJC: Jeff Buckley, absolutely. His album Grace literally changed my life. Growing up, I always aspired to be a classical musician, and then when I was a young teenager, I heard Grace, and I would listen to it multiple times a week for probably five or six years. I listened to it so, so much, and his music completely changed the game for me musically. He’s my biggest influence for sure. Growing up I’ve always loved jazz, and I’ve always loved that old style. Amy Winehouse was just, well, she was Amy Winehouse—you don’t need to say any more about that!
VM: The trumpet seems to be your signature mark. What drew you to that instrument at the age of 10?
LJC: Well, my granddad is my best friend, my mentor, my role model, everything that I want to be as a person. He was a trombonist and was great, but it was more the classical side of music. Just whenever he spoke about music, there would be this sort of glimmer in his eye, and I was always drawn to that. He started teaching me how to play the trumpet as a kid, and I learned in a very sort of old-fashioned way. It was all about music theory and going to play in orchestras and brass bands and marching bands and doing everything prim and proper, always wearing a suit and always making sure my shoes are spick and span. But that’s what drew me to music, and then as I got older, I just drifted more to, you know, music was a little bit more freeform and less structured in terms of rules and order. So, that’s what really drew me to it–my granddad, he’s a special guy.
VM: How old were you when you started writing your own music?
LJC: I wrote some terrible, terrible emo songs when I was 15. I would hide them all around the house, because I didn’t want anyone finding them because I was always so embarrassed. But I’ve been writing seriously probably since I was 18 or 19, so six or seven years if my math is correct.
VM: How did you end up in Los Angeles pursuing music?
LJC: In the craziest way! So, as you’ve probably gathered from my accent, I was living in York in England, and I was in a bit of a bad place. I didn’t really have anywhere to stay, and I was just street performing just to get enough money to get by. And then I got heard by somebody who spoke to me and offered to fly me out to the U.S. to come and play some shows, and I didn’t really have anything to lose at that point so I said, “yeah, okay, I’ll come to the other side of the world by myself to a stranger’s house.” I ended up in Los Angeles, and I met a lady, and we started dating. I’d come over here for a while, and then she’d come back to England with me, and then we got married in July of last year! So it all happened because one day I was street performing in England, and now I’m living in Los Angeles, and it blows my mind every day. It was just a series of fortunate events.
VM: For SXSW, is there someone you’re looking forward to seeing just as a music fan yourself?
LJC: Johnny Flynn, he’s one of my favorite artists! He’s a British folk singer turned actor. Actually, he’s been in a couple of movies since his albums came out. He’s great; he sang with Mumford & Sons—he’s in that sort of sound and that circle. He’s a multi-instrumentalist as well, and he plays with a loop station, so there’s a bit of influence there. My guitar picking part in some of my songs is very influenced by him. He plays violin, trumpet, he sings, he plays guitar… he plays pretty much everything.
VM: If you had to tell a new listener in one tweet what they’ll hear at your set, what would you say?
LJC: I would say, big vocals, awkward chitchat in between, punchy horns with blues, soul and jazz influences. The thing that people are usually shocked at with my shows is that between songs, I’m pretty quiet and a little bit sheepish, and I don’t mean to be. But then I have a really loud voice, and it sort of throws people off a little bit.
VM: The last question that we always ask is: do you prefer barbecue or tacos at SXSW?
LJC: Barbecue every day of the week! I just like all things barbecue. Tacos aren’t really a thing in England, so that’s partially why. I believe I was 23 when I had my first taco, so I don’t have as much experience in that ballgame so perhaps my answer is slightly biased.
SXSW 2017: Lukr x Vinyl Mag
“There will always be this kid inside of me that’s in the rock and roll band that’s trying to write the song to get the girl. That’s always going to be a part of who I am.”
When I picked up the phone to chat with Lukr, I didn’t expect to get a recipe for vegan queso or hear an anecdote about what it means to be a hypocrite. The self-proclaimed conversationalist was engaging, genuine and ready to share the love he has for his craft. Before long, it was clear that his down-to-earth lyrics emanate from the same place as his conversations–authenticity. Luke Foley is a man committed to using his honesty and creativity to connect with his fellow human beings.
After touring with the band he started at 17, Farewell Flight, Lukr settled down in Nashville where songwriting became his partner in crime. His debut single as a solo artist, “Fucked Up Summer,” has been deemed a viral hit on Spotify and surpassed a million streams in a mere 12 weeks. He followed that success with “Scarecrow” which also gave a stellar streaming performance. When asked what he thinks made those songs so successful, Lukr went back to the word “authenticity.” Whether fans are responding to his genuine lyrics or the catchy melodies, clearly he’s doing something right.
On February 10 of this year, he released the first installment of his mixtape series entitled Heartbreak Mixtape Vol. 1, featuring the style he describes as “neon grunge alternative pop.” Fans will get a chance to hear those new songs at his set at The Nashville House at this year’s SXSW. To find out if he prefers songwriting or performing and to hear the story behind his name, keep on reading. Plus, you just might get a restaurant recommendation for vegan tacos.
Vinyl Mag: What brought you to Nashville?
Lukr: I moved here after I had a band for a little while and did a lot of DIY, kind of blue collar touring basically. We toured a good bit around the US, but it was all self-booked. We did it for a little while, and then I thought maybe we should try a music town. I thought we’d all move to Nashville, and we’d be signed to a major deal in like a weekend of handshaking. But actually what I had to do was learn how to write a song. Before I came here, I was very protective about songwriting. I wouldn’t co-write with anybody. I think I had this need to be this creative genius that just goes off by myself in my cabin and makes a record. But I wasn’t learning anything, and it’s kind of hard to learn anything about your craft when you don’t take any kind of input from anybody else.
So, when I moved to Nashville, I just started co-writing because that’s what everybody was doing, and it just seemed to kind of make sense. Once I started doing that, I just started writing for stuff that wasn’t for me so I wasn’t afraid to take chances and do something that I would normally think was cheesy or stupid. Or, I would write styles of music that I used to just not like on principle. I still had my band but it had kind of run its course, and everybody was starting to move on and do different things here in town.
VM: What made you decide to start a solo project?
Lukr: I was always so afraid to think of myself as a solo artist just because I didn’t think I was a good enough singer or maybe I’m not a pretty guy. I mean, I think I’m okay-looking, but I’m not pretty. Or, I’m not a phenomenal dancer, and to be a solo artist you have to have this amazing range. Part of having a band for me justified that. I’m not the greatest singer in the world, but I’m the songwriter, and also I play guitar so combined that gives me enough credit to be here, right? It was an insecurity thing; I was afraid to believe in myself.
I didn’t even like the word artist because I thought it was so pretentious. I thought, I’m not an artist—I’m just a guy who does music or whatever. I was afraid to think of myself as an artist. I remember I was writing with a guy and he was talking to me one day, and I was telling him that my idea was once my band made it I would maybe start a side project for myself. And he just asked this kind of really poignant question and said, “Why do you think of yourself as a side project and your band as your main thing? You are not your own side project. You are your main project. When you do your band, that’s just you as an artist in that band.” I wept on this dude’s porch, just cried like a baby because somebody told me I was good enough.
VM: How did you get the name Lukr?
Lukr: I love nicknames. I’m always trying to get nicknames going for people. I kind of had this realization that there was this nickname I had gotten from people throughout my life totally autonomous of one another. Everybody that called me “Luker” thought they coined that nickname. My middle initial is R for Robert, which is my grandfather’s name, so my name reads like, “Luke R Foley.” I’d always wanted a nickname, and I just didn’t realize that it was right in front of me like a girl from a romantic comedy. So, that’s how I got the name Lukr. I dropped the “e” because I thought it looked a little cooler. Now, looking back, I think maybe that was kind of cheesy–it looks kind of like Tumblr or Flickr or something–but it’s too late and it’s just a name so who cares.
VM: How do you feel like your time with Farewell Flight shaped your music today?
Lukr: I think it had an influence in ways that I don’t mean it to… I think a lot of my lyrics are almost emo in a way. I think I appeal to a lot of millennials that are mid-twenties because it feels like Taking Back Sunday in a way. So, I think it still has that influence on me. There will always be this kid inside of me that’s in the rock and roll band that’s trying to write the song to get the girl. That’s always going to be a part of who I am.
VM: I definitely noticed the emo/grunge lyrics but also the pop melodies that are catchy enough to remember. How do you blend those two genres together?
Lukr: I just want to write songs that appeal to human beings where there’s no “you have to be this cool to ride this ride” kind of thing. I try to write things in a way that’s honest and real for me. Like, for me, “Fucked Up Summer” is about this experience and this person. One of the lines is “Baby, I can be your backseat lover and you can be my fucked up summer.” I picture a specific car, a specific backseat, a specific driveway. For other people, they might picture a totally different car in a parking lot—they have a different story. But there’s a way to write something that doesn’t exclude people that can still have the details in it.
VM: Do you write more about your own experiences or make up stories and then write from there?
Lukr: As of now, I just write a lot of my own experience just because it’s what I know. This is going to sound really pretentious, but I want to be the Springsteen of the millennial generation. I was born in ’85 so I wasn’t the first millennial, but I’m near the top and I feel like I’ve had the experience of what it is to be a twenty-something and what it means to go from teenager to adult and then adult to grown-up, and it’s the weirdest transition. It’s just a weird place to be, and it’s something I feel like I’m still going through, but I’m just half a block ahead of people in their twenties. I’m able to look back and kind of look at it in context and understand it better, and I don’t feel like I’ve got the sand in my eyes as much.
So, I’ll just write about, like, what it’s like to be in love with somebody and then you break up and then they get engaged to somebody else. That’s just a weird, grown-up feeling! It’s more than somebody just moving on–it’s somebody moving on in a semi-permanent way, and you’re like, “Whoa, we’re all just kids still.”
VM: Do you think that style of writing is part of the reason why your songs have done so well on Spotify?
Lukr: Honestly, I feel like it’s just the right place at the right time. Or maybe I was just in the right place all the time, and then the right time just came, so to speak. I mean, nobody had any idea who I was, and I just picked the first song I fell in love with. When the right song came along, it was “Fucked Up Summer,” and I picked it because it scared me. First of all, it has the word “fucked” in the title, and I’ve got in-laws, I’ve got a grandmother and grandfather, I’ve got a mom, I’ve got nieces and nephews–my family is not going to listen to this song. That kind of scared me, but it’s real and authentic and comes from a real place! I think I released that one because it scared me so much. It’s kind of like my rule that if something scares you, then that means you’re probably supposed to be doing it.
VM: On the flip side of songwriting, do you like performing more or less than writing?
Lukr: I mean, songwriting is still my first love, and it’s something that sort of naturally came to me and I’ve spent so much time developing. Creating the art, to me that’s the most satisfying feeling. And then performing it live is kind of like the celebration; it’s like the wedding reception. So, I like them both. I’d say if you’d asked me that question even six months ago I would’ve said, “Oh, songwriting by far is the more fulfilling thing for me.” But I’ve just recently met this amazing girl, and her name is live performance, and I’ve re-fallen back in love with her. It’s like an old flame, and it’s really exciting.
VM: That’s perfect timing since you’ll be taking the stage at SXSW soon!
Lukr: Yeah, I’m excited! This is the first time I’m ever getting to go, and it’s kind of a long-time coming fulfillment for me, but there’s also a lot of pressure on that. Recently, though, I’ve felt that anxiety just melt away, and I’ve felt the excitement. I think confidence is not cockiness—it’s just awareness of your own capabilities. We were rehearsing, and I feel so good about my band, and all of a sudden I just realized, “Oh my god, I’m playing SXSW.” I’m just excited to get out there and do it. I don’t know, I’m feeling very, very fired up about it.
VM: What shows are you playing at SXSW?
Lukr: I’m playing some SX takeover stuff on the way, but at SX I’m just doing this one showcase at Tellers Upstairs [on Tuesday, March 14]. It’s put on by Nashville pop and pop/rock artists, and it’s called The Nashville House. From what I’ve heard, it’s the very first time there’s ever been a representation of Nashville pop at SX. There’s this kind of emerging, really, really, really cool scene coming out of Nashville that’s just all pop stuff, and I think it’s one of the first times the outside world is really going to get exposed to that. I’m honestly just thrilled that they even contacted me to be a part of it!
VM: Is there a certain artist that you’re looking forward to seeing?
Lukr: NAWAS—he’s from Nashville, and I think he’s one of the most exciting things going on that I’ve heard. So, I’m super excited about him, and then obviously there’s a bunch of other awesome artists at The Nashville House.
VM: And, one last question we always have to ask is: barbecue or tacos?
Lukr: Man, that’s a tough question. I used to make a crazy barbecue that I thought was pretty good…but now, I actually eat a pretty much plant-based diet, so I don’t really eat meat anymore. I love to cook, and I love food. Food is my love language…I’d say out of those two, I’d probably go with tacos as my official answer just because I’ve had some amazing vegan tacos. There’s a place in LA called Gracias Madre, and they have these BLT tacos but it’s totally plant-based. They use this coconut bacon, and it’s amazing.
VM: Since you said you love to cook, do you have a signature dish that you love to make for people?
Lukr: I’ve got this thing that I make called “tater queso” [recipe below]. It’s kind of a recipe I got from a friend that I’ve adapted.
Tater Queso
Ingredients:
2 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 med taters)
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped (about half an onion)
2 cups water
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked)
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic, minced (or garlic powder)
3 TBSP Earth Balance or Coconut oil (I half this one but it’s better with)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cumin
2 tbsp of Nooch*
Note:
*Nutritional Yeast (or “Nooch”) is this flaky deactivated yeast that looks and tastes kinda like Cheeto dust. It’s low fat, gluten free (if that’s your thing), and packed with nutrition (B-vitamins, folic acid, selenium, zinc, and protein). Find it at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Kroger (in the hippie aisle) or just order it from Amazon Prime like my lazy ass does.
Directions:
1. Start by soaking those cashews in water. If you can get a few hours on them in the fridge dope, if not, still dope. Just cover ‘em up so your cat doesn’t F with them, you’ll need ‘em later.
2. In a covered saucepan, put that H20 on til it starts to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Keep a lid on this the whole time cause you you don’t want that water to reduce, we’re gonna use all of it.
3. While that wawa is heating up, start peeling them taters up, and chop em along with the carrots and onion. I like to chop em pretty fine cause they cook faster. Start throwing them in as you finish chopping and measuring.
4. Toss in the rest of that stuff as you measure it out (ending with the drained cashews). Keep that lid on! Let it simmer for a few minutes, but by the time you’re adding the last ingredient, it should be almost done. Give it 15 min or as long as you feel like it.
5. Pour the whole ding dang thing (including the water) into a blender or food processor. Blend that sumbish for longer than you’d think. Like, 5-10 min or until it’s a creamy texture, depending on your blender/processor. Pour it over some cooked pasta, or steamed veggies, or dip unsalted blue corn chips, or just drank it out of the blender like I do.
50 Bands to See at SXSW 2017
We’ll admit it—scrolling through the list of the year’s SXSW artists is intimidating. But, as we all know, preparation always pays off. You have seven days (March 13-19) to soak in as much music as humanly possible, with a smorgasbord of artists featured at showcases and parties all over downtown Austin.
Enter us. We’ve compiled a Spotify playlist of 50 can’t-miss bands at SX this year. From Atlanta and Nashville to Los Angeles and Canada, the artists on our playlist hail from all over. Leo James Conroy (interview coming soon) is a musician originally from Manchester, England who currently resides in Los Angeles, while Mise en Scene and Jessie Reyez are repping the Canadian music scene.
In case you didn’t hear, we’re sponsoring the 11th annual Athens in Austin Party, To Eleven on Saturday, March 18. The artists scheduled to play at our party (located at The Side Bar) are a) kickass and b) included on the playlist below. Enjoy, at see you out there.
SXSW 2017: Mise en Scene x Vinyl Mag
With SXSW’s seemingly endless lists of performers all incredible in their own right, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. Mise en Scene, however, is one act you definitely do not want to miss. The Canadian quartet effortlessly combines beautiful, heartfelt lyrics with rock instrumentation, giving everyone something to enjoy. Their first full-length album, Desire’s Despair, involved producers Howard Redekopp (Tegan & Sara), Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire) and Tony Berg (Beck) and gave the band quite an entry onto the scene in 2012. Not only did it have a 16-week run on Canada’s Top 50 national charts, but it also received a 2014 Sirius XM Indies Award nomination. The foursome rode that success all over the world with performances in Barcelona, downtown Paris, Berlin and more.
Stefanie Blondal Johnson (vocals/guitar) and Jodi Dunlop (drums) first founded the Manitoba-based band after bonding in art school over painting. These days, they’ve added friends Corey D Hykawy and Dave Gagnon on bass and lead guitar, respectively. Bringing in the two new members to the group allowed room to create songs with more dimension and sounds, which even further enhances the experience of their on stage performances. Mise en Scene knows how to have fun at their own live shows, and according to Do512, their performances are “soaked with emotion.”
Just a few weeks ago, the team graced our ears with a new release courtesy of Light Organ Records. The song “Show Me You’re Real” is the first single off their upcoming sophomore album, Still Life On Fire and embodies the band’s signature marriage of garage pop and indie rock. Huffington Post calls their sound a combination of “’60s pop with strokes of garage rock” and hears a “beachy vibe, reminiscent of the Dum Dum Girls.” The new album will be released Summer 2017, but until then, fans can sink their teeth into the single as well as their performances at SXSW.
To get us all pumped up for their SXSW sets, we chatted with bassist Corey Hykawy about pre-show band rituals, emotional space and French fries. Check out the interview below.
Vinyl Mag: Tell me a little bit about your musical background.
Corey Hykawy: I played in a couple high school bands—nothing serious—and then I was living in Toronto after college, and I came back to Gimli [Manitoba] for a summer and ended up joining a friend’s band. I ended up staying in Gimli instead of moving back to Toronto and played in Winnipeg, played in a bunch of bands and then eventually joined Mise en Scene. That was about two and a half to three years ago now, and I’ve just been playing with them ever since.
VM: What made you want to jump on board with this band?
CH: I’d known the drummer, Jodi, since we were in high school. She had a high school band, and I remember being like, “if you ever need a bass player I’d love to play with you guys,” but it never worked out. And then I’d seen them play all over Winnipeg, we played shows together, and I always really enjoyed the music, I really liked the songs. They both have connections to Gimli, the small town we’re from, and we’re all just friends so it seemed like a good fit. So when they were looking for a bass player, I threw my name in there, and then it all worked out.
VM: What’s the dynamic like between the four of you?
CH: When we’re writing, it’s very collaborative. But we’re also pretty goofy people, so there’s lots of joking and lots of trash talking and stuff like that… a lot of back and forth joking around and wine-drinking.
VM: I’m sure that relationship makes being on stage together more fun.
CH: Yeah, we all get along so well as friends, and we spend a lot of time together whether we’re practicing or just hanging out. I think that helps a lot—just being close friends and being on stage, and you look over across the stage and you see a good friend, and it’s just like you’re there having fun. It doesn’t feel like work, doesn’t feel like any pressure or anything like that.
VM: You did some touring back in the Fall—what was the most fun part about that?
CH: That’s tough, because there are so many different parts of it that all come together. I love touring, but honestly one of my favorite parts is driving in the van from one city to the next and just talking about the show the night before, or talking about the show coming up that night and how we can make it better, or just listening to tunes on the road and talking. And that’s completely ignoring the whole side of playing while you’re on tour, which is also amazing and fun. It’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing.
VM: What about the most challenging part?
CH: Definitely learning what makes each other tick and when to give someone space and knowing how much emotional space you’re taking up as an individual. Just being aware of everyone’s state of mind…asking someone how they’re doing if they need it. I think it’s just learning to juggle the emotions of four passionate people in such tight quarters when things can be so manic–one day things are going so well, and then the next day you’re stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire.
VM: Do you have a favorite venue you’ve played?
CH: Since I’ve been in the band, we played one in Berlin called Privatclub, and we really liked that venue a lot. I think my favorite would be in Paris when we played the Mécanique Ondulatoire. It was this basement venue, and it looked like The Cavern [Club] that the Beatles used to play in. It had this brick wall, and it was just this really cool, small, dingy basement. It felt like a little punk bar or something like that.
VM: You’ve played a lot of festivals—do you prefer those over more traditional gigs?
CH: We really like playing festivals, because we’re all music fans as well, so you get the best side of music with that. You have your set in the afternoon or evening, and then you have the whole day to watch other bands. Being anywhere where it’s sunny outside in the summer watching music is just the best thing ever.
VM: Do you have any pre-show band rituals?
CH: Not really; we just kind of look at each other. I always try to make eye contact with everyone and give them a little wink or something like that, or just a wink and a smile to let them know like, “hey, let’s do this.” Just hugs and things like that, some high fives, nothing too crazy.
VM: As a performer, what’s your personal mindset when you step on stage?
CH: I don’t really think that much about it, because when I was younger, I kind of got stage fright, so I tried to not acknowledge the fact that I was in front of people. So I guess my approach is just like, we’re in the jam space having fun and not in front of a hundred or two hundred people.
VM: You recently released the single “Show Me You’re Real” off the upcoming album. How does it reflect the rest of the record?
CH: That song is almost the best summation for the album in the sense that it’s a very dynamic song–it’s loud, it’s quiet, it’s fast, it’s slow. I think that that’s a big part of the album. I didn’t write the lyrics, but Stef’s lyrics on the album, that song sums up what she’s going for in all the other songs. It really takes everything and puts it together.
VM: What was the creative process like in making that song?
CH: In the studio when we’re trying out different instruments and different parts, when we have the bass track and the drums down and we’re just messing around with guitar and vocal ideas, that was a lot of fun. The writing process for it was pretty quick. It was one of those songs where they had it written when I joined the band, and then I came in and we didn’t agonize over anything; it just kind of came together. All the parts just naturally fit into place. I find when I’m writing a song that the first thing I play is always the best. I’ll try different ideas or different parts, but it always comes back to that first idea that you play naturally because it’s almost just a reaction to what you’re hearing.
VM: So, for South by Southwest, what shows are you guys playing?
CH: We’re doing the Halifax Pop Explosion showcase at the Swan Dive Patio on March 16. I think that’s also Canada House, which it’s always awesome being around other Canadian bands. And then we’re at Esther’s Follies on March 18 for a showcase.
VM: If a new listener sees your band name on the schedule, how would you sum up what they’re going to hear?
CH: They’re going to hear loud, jangly guitars, some distortion, some reverb. They’re going to hear some sultry vocals from Stef, some infectious melodies coming out of the guitar, and a driving rhythm section with Jodi and I. Just an all around fun time–we try and have as much fun as possible!
VM: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at SXSW?
CH: It’s insane how many bands are there, it blows my mind. Every year that we go, I’ll go through all the bands that are playing and scroll through, and then either based on a town that they’re from or a genre or the name, I’ll just randomly click on the band and listen to a song. I was doing that this year and found this band called Aero Flynn from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and I listened to their record and it blew me away. So, I’m really excited to see them. Eric Slick, who’s the drummer from Dr. Dog, is releasing an album and he’s playing there. I really want to see him. He’s a fantastic drummer, and I’m not sure what to expect from his solo music.
VM: Now, our last question that we always have to ask is: do you prefer barbecue or tacos?
CH: I’m definitely a barbecue guy. You know, a burger on the barbecue prepared any way is never a disappointment for me—a burger is just the food for me. You put some fries next to it, and I’m the happiest guy ever. Jodi, our drummer, she and I both love, love French fries, and that’s probably our main meal on tour.
Join Us at SXSW for the 11th Annual Athens in Austin Party
We are so excited to sponsor the 11th annual Athens in Austin Party, To Eleven!
Local acts will be performing at The Side Bar, located at 602 E. 7th Street in Austin, Texas during SXSW. The party will occur from noon to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 18.
Artists in attendance will include Cindy Wilson of the B-52’s, Mothers, Muuy Biien and a crapload of other killer acts.
Check out the lineup here:
12:00 p.m. – Juan de Fuca
12:30 p.m. – Neighbor Lady
1:00 p.m. – DEEP STATE
1:30 p.m. – Chief Scout
2:00 p.m. – Thayer Sarrano
2:30 p.m. – The Nude Party
3:00 p.m. – Eureka California
3:30 p.m. – Mothers
4:00 p.m. – White Violet
4:30 p.m. – Oak House
5:00 p.m. – Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires
5:30 p.m. – Muuy Biien
6:00 p.m. – The Dexateens
6:30 p.m. – Cindy Wilson (of the B-52’s)
Other sponsors include Georgia Theatre, Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, Athens Popfest, Bragg Jam Music, Arts and Kids’ Festival, Chase Park Transduction, Cottonseed Studios, Dos Equis, Flagpole Magazine, Georgia Tourism, Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Kindercore Vinyl, Laser Brains, Newk’s Eatery, Normaltown Records, RubySue Graphics, Tiger Bomb Promo, UGA Music Business Program and We’re HEAR For You.
If you’re in Austin for SXSW and want a little taste of Athens, we’ll see you there. Double fisting Lone Stars. All damn day.
Broken Hands x Vinyl Mag
Imagine you’re standing on a jetway, planes soaring above and beside you, the sound of jet engines roaring on all sides–and you might just know what it feels like to be in the crowd at a live Broken Hands gig. Relatively new to the music scene, the British rockers have already received significant U.K. radio airplay with their lead single, “Meteor,” and their debut album, Turbulence, is set for release Nov. 4. With slots at SXSW and CMJ, the band is already making significant headway into the U.S. market.
We sat down with bassist Thomas Ford to talk about the band’s exciting new release, inspiration, and what it’s like when you step foot through the door of a live show.
VM: How would you describe your sound to someone who is unfamiliar with the band?
TF: It’s kind of the sound of jet engines and flights we really tried to convey in the album. A lot to do with escaping. It’s pretty heavy but the song always gets what it needs at the end of the day.
VM: And your debut album is set to come out next month, so what are you most excited for fans to hear?
TF: Really just the whole thing. As soon as people understand what we are trying to say, even if they don’t really like it, that’s not good, but if people hear it and they understand what we were trying to say with the album, understand where we were when we wrote it, then that is kind of big for us.
VM: When you set out to record the album, did you have a set plan or was it more of an experimental process?
TF: The songs in themselves, it was like one main songwriter. And then we found almost the concept, the vehicle we wanted to write with. It was very easy to write together and to achieve the same kind of goal. So the songs we worked on for a good six or seven months, and then we got into the studio, and that’s a great place to check creativity because we are very like-minded. So once we kind of built the song and everything up around it, then we went mad with the sounds. It was pretty straightforward, but then we went mad at the end.
VM: So the music video for “Meteor“ was captured at one of your sold-out shows, and the whole venue is covered in silver foil. Is this something you do at every show? What’s the inspiration behind it?
TF: We were playing shows and the album wasn’t actually out yet. So we couldn’t have people see the cover and instantly see all of the information, what was there to convey the concept. So it was really important to us that when people came into the shows, they weren’t just guessing to what we were trying to get to. We wanted to really build the experience up. So we got these huge parachutes of silver foil and then draped the entire venue. Because you could be in a really normal, everyday club in London and then step through the door and suddenly you’re in this capsule, and light reflects off all the walls. And I think it tied into our concept. They hadn’t heard it yet, so they got to hear the concept before they had a copy of the album.
VM: Speaking of live shows, how would you describe the vibes from a Broken Hands gig?
TF: We really try and extend how we wrote the album over into the room. And embody each song as it comes. We’ve got quite a big energy. So it’s hopefully kind of the feeling of getting sucked into a vacuum and then popping out the other end, a very kind of loud, windy experience. It’s almost like hearing it sounds like you’re near an airport, hearing a jet engine go, hearing things soar from one side to the other. For us, it’s all about extending and embodying that and trying to bring people as close into that as possible.
VM: Since forming, you’ve landed spots at festivals including SXSW and CMJ, was this your first time playing in the U.S.?
TF: Yeah, SXSW was the first time. That was one of my favorite weeks, ever. The states are just fantastic. I’ve only been to a few places yet—New York, Boston, and Minneapolis is another favorite, and it’s so different every single time. So many different people. Pretty much everyone is very vocal. They tell you exactly what they want to say. Whereas in England, it doesn’t matter if they like it or not, they might just walk away from the show. Which is really odd. But I love it out there, it’s crazy and there’s always a whole bunch of people to talk to afterward, which is huge. SXSW is truly something. It was really up there for us.
VM: Do you have any dream venues to perform at?
TF: We like the look of Red Rocks, and there’s a really cool place in Minneapolis, I think it was called First Avenue. And then I think Terminal 5 in New York was one. But every single room we get to play in is going to be exhilarating.
VM: What kind of artists are you listening to at the moment? Are there any you look to for inspiration?
TF: We all live together in one big house, we moved in together to write the album. It’s kind of a strange thing because if one person really gets on something, then everyone else is drawn in on it. This week has been Depeche Mode, and they just announced a tour which is absolutely wicked. I think in terms of a show, a band that has longevity and composure, My Morning Jacket, are really big for us. Really admire what they do, especially on stage. The energy they put out, but at the same time, it’s so composed. It’s ridiculous. I would love if we could get anywhere near opening for them.
VM: Circling back to your new album, out of all the tracks on Turbulence, which lyrics resonate with you the most? Or do you have a favorite track, one you’re most excited for fans to hear?
TF: Funny enough it is “Turbulence.” It just embodies the most what we were going for in the album. I think it was the first track we wrote, and we were coming back through the old tapes, and things change in the recording process, but when we put on “Turbulence,” it hasn’t changed since the day we put it together and arranged it in rehearsal space. Every time we play “Turbulence” it really reminds me of the beginning of this whole thing. The beginning of the album, the beginning of getting out to the world.
Check out Broken Hands’ debut album, Turbulence, out Nov. 4 via SO Recordings.
SXSW 2016: Lewis Del Mar X Vinyl Mag
A couple of years ago you would have found Rockaway Beach’s Lewis Del Mar busking on Austin’s street corners and playing in some guy’s backyard during SXSW. But that was then. Now, you will find this duo in great demand and performing in packed out venues such as Hype Hotel.
We met up with Danny Miller and Max Harwood, found a stoop (because that’s where cool SXSW interviews take place), and had a late afternoon chat about the sonic collage that is Lewis Del Mar’s music, best eats of SXSW 2016, and we tried, unsuccessfully, to get the release date of their upcoming album.
Vinyl Mag: Let’s talk about the EP that you guys just released… Describe the EP in three words for someone who’s never listened to your music before.
Danny Miller & Max Harwood: Bedroom, I think should be one. City. And, I guess we’ll say beach. Yeah, I guess ocean. Yeah, ocean is better. Bedroom, city, and ocean. Which I think are sort of the locales and time of the record.
DM: We recorded it in Max’s bedroom. And we live in Rockaway Beach. We actually recorded it in this bungalow. And I think Rockaway is sort of the coming together of these two disparate worlds.
MH: And it’s like city meets ocean.
DM: So we’re trying to convey that in what we do creatively.
VM: Absolutely, cause I know you guys made the move from D.C. to Rockaway, so what prompted that?
DM&MH: Such a long story.
VM: How’d you pick Rockaway?
DM: I think we came to pick Rockaway because we felt like it sort of embodied what we were already trying to do creatively with the project. So we moved from D.C. because we had an old group and it disbanded, and it was sort of Max and I at the home of it and we wanted to do something else creatively. We’re from D.C. so we could have moved anywhere in the world and I think it would have been more interesting. It was just sort of an idea of getting away from home. We moved to New York. We moved to a Spanish- speaking area in Brooklyn. And that sort of… it sort of started a lot. My father’s Nicaraguan… Max’s parents live in Panama now and we lived in Chile for a while we had very strong ties to South America, Central America. And it just sort to began to influence the music in a way we weren’t really expecting. And we started to tap into a lot of those things and I think that while I was tapping in to that part of my heritage personally and those influences musically, Max was sort of tapping into something else in moving into New York.
MH: Just sort of like the intensity of the city. In the old band I was basically just the drummer and it was just sort of like a regular rock-n-roll type of band, and we started this project and I got into production and sampling and hip- hop and all these different things. Now it’s just amplified like a thousand times when we moved to the city. You know there’s just so much humanity and you come face to face with so many experiences and cultures that I just started bringing in different sounds into what we were doing and starting sampling; sampling from vinyl, picking up sounds around the city with just a voice memo recorder.
DM: I think that sort of when we started to fuse those two worlds together we were kind of going out to Rockaway to surf, hang out with some friends there. It just sort of began to us to manifest itself into the more physical and locational properties of the music. So we just moved there. We sort of had to live in to make it come to life. And that was sort of the goal.
CH: If this sounds like a crazy collage of things, its because that’s exactly what it is.
VM: That’s great, that’s what helps make an album I think. All these things coming together to make one.
DM: Right, I think when we finished the other band we were looking for something different we were curious about other sounds so we just opened ourselves up to any and all influences and all these different things flooded in.
VM: So we are anxiously waiting on the new album. Do we have a date?
DM: Nothing we can say…This year.
VM: Can we expect the album during beach weather months?
DM: We can’t say. We’re finishing it right when we get back. All the songs are written. Everything’s been recorded. We’re just kind of fine-tuning it. We have sort of an excess amount of time on our hands so we’re just sort of taking our time with it and making sure it’s something that were really proud of as a first statement for our band. It’s been such a process of love and nurturing and learning for us because this is our first time making a full length album so it’s been really cool.
VM: Awesome, looking forward to it! So you guys have a tour coming up, some international dates. Any cities in particular you’re looking forward to playing?
MH: We’re excited to go to Paris.
DM: Really excited to go to Paris for the first time.
MH: Honestly excited to go anywhere in Europe. I feel like our minds were kind of blown when our manager started talking about sending us to Europe. We’re like oh my God, that’s going to be amazing.
VM: What are some things you guys like to eat on the road?
DM&MH: I just like Caribbean food I love lie coconut rice, and fried fish. On the road I feel like…We try to eat healthy but it’s not so easy. We like Thai. Mutual love for Thai food.
DM&MH: Yeah, Thai food is amazing.
VM: What’s the best food you have eaten at SX so far?
DM: I had really delicious Caribbean food. It was like sautéed pork over some… like oh it was crazy it was coconut curry bacon fried rice.
VM: Oh man! Where did you find this?
MH: It was like right around the corner.
DM: It was this taco truck.
VM: So is there anything else you guys want to share?
DM: I just want to say that this has been the most amazing thing, and as two kids that have known each other our entire lives…we’ve been making music together our entire lives. Like before this Max and I were traveling around in a station wagon and sleeping on floors and shit so to have anybody care about our music and to come here, and this sounds so stupid but to get a wristband to play at these showcases, like we were here two years ago and we were busking on street corners so…
MH: We literally played in some dude’s backyard two years ago.
DM: And there’s just not a second of it that’s just the most amazing experience and to be able to do it with your best friend is the greatest thing.
MH: Yeah, we’ve known each other since we were 9.
VM: I think remembering where you came from keeps you humble.
MH: And it gives you perspective. Its so nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of, and just like, when we have to make decisions that are sort of heavy, there’s someone there that you also feels like knows you sort of as well as you know yourself.
SXSW 2016: Rooney X Vinyl Mag
It’s been a couple of years since we last heard from Rooney, but with the hit single “My Heart Beats 4 U,” an absolutely memorable SXSW performance, and a new album, Washed Away, due to be released this May, Rooney is certainly back in our lives – and we couldn’t be happier.
We caught up with the face of Rooney, Robert Schwartzman, down in Austin and chatted about the creative process behind Washed Away and how he wrote, produced, engineered, mixed and performed all of the songs on the album.
Vinyl Mag: You guys have a new album coming out in May and we are really excited.
Robert Schwartzman: I’m excited for you guys to hear it. I’ve been waiting so long. I’ve been sitting on this stuff so long and I’m so happy to put it out finally.
VM: If you could describe the album in three words…
RS: Dangerous, Scandalous…..I don’t know how to describe it in three words…I hate to classify my own music as something but I feel like it’s rockin’, I feel like its energetic but also ill say mid-tempo.
VM: How long have you been working on it?
RS: I’ve been working on it well, it depends, a lot of these songs I’ve kind of had waiting to do something with for a while, but I kind of buckled down really last year and put the final touches on this record. I had some of these songs before that, I just wasn’t sure what I was gonna do with it. Like if it was gonna be a Rooney record or something else. But I like to spend a lot of time on the sonic quality of the album. I get really obsessive about the quality of it, so I’ll remix it a lot and I’ll master it like ten times. I get really obsessive. So I recorded it by myself. Produced it. And I mixed it with another friend of mine.
VM: What’s that creative process like?
RS: It’s cool, I feel like it’s kind of part of the process for me. I kind of mix as I record and I kind of write as I record so it all happens at one time. I don’t like just sit down, write ten songs and then go record them. I write and record like all at one time.
VM: So when you’re writing…I feel like there are two different kinds of people who are like I have to sit down, have set hours and write or some people are like it just came to me…
RS: I don’t know, I mean I try to make time for it. I go through phases where I record a lot and then I stop. Usually when I’m in this phase right now, like bringing a record out, I don’t really write a lot. But when I’m ready, when it’s been a little bit of time and the dust settles I’ll go back in the studio and just start writing. But I used to write more, like every day I was writing something but lately that’s sort of changed a little bit because I’ve become more hands on with other aspects of this process. Which I find equally as gratifying and creative as making music. Like I think marketing your album and coming up with your release plan and your artwork and music video…to me they’re all like part of the same process. Because it shapes who you are and what you’re trying to say. Because you could have a really good song but it could be misrepresented with how you bring it to people and then it changes the perception of that song, so to me every little piece really matters and you have to be careful with all of it.
VM: How do you balance your time with doing so many things going on such as working on movies as well…how do you balance all of that with your songwriting and the creation of an album?
RS: Well lately now I’ve been moving more into the movie stuff. For a while it was just full time Rooney but now I really want to be, I kind of want to diversify the thing that I like to do and be more hands on with all of it but it can be really hard because you really just have to carve out time where you can fully devote all your attention to this one thing, for this period of time. They will overlap, like right now they’re overlapping. Things I’ve been doing thus far over the hiatus and now with the return of the Rooney record, they’re all hitting at one time and it’s becoming a little bit challenging but if I want to live this life, I have to just do it. I just have to figure out a way, basically. That’s my solution.
VM: So what do you have going on with the movie aspect?
RS: The movie, I directed a feature film that I co-wrote and it’s a feature length film that will be at the Tribeca film festival in April. And we’re just gearing up with prepping the movie for Tribeca. But what’s cool is I got to write the score for it so music was a part of it. And then I wrote a song for the movie that’s in the movie. It’s on the Rooney record. So they go together.
VM: It all collides and right now your worlds are colliding. Do you have any involvement with the new Princess Diaries?
RS: Oh the third one? I heard about that. It’s interesting, it’s been so many years since that movie but it hasn’t really gone away because it plays all the time. I never knew I would be in that movie. I didn’t know I was gonna be in a movie that would be just like, this long-lasting, movie. I’m happy to have been a part of it. I think its cool. I love that people love it. Whatever gets people excited, is all that matters.
VM: Just like people are excited for your record!
RS: That’s true, That’s true.
VM: and we are excited!
RS: You can pre-order it. People should know they can order vinyl and CDs now. On the Rooney website. Rooneymusic.com!
VM: I know you have been sending new songs off the album to your fan club over email, how did you go about choosing those songs that you want those dedicated fans to hear first?
RS: Well, I think that when people give you their email address, I think its very cool, very personal. There’s a nice email list and it’s not technically a fan club right now but id like to turn it into a fan club. But I find sort of the people who are on our email list sort of get first dibs on new stuff. There was a free song sent only to email list people so it’s a way to reward people for just being apart of it. But I picked the song “Come on Baby” because I feel like it’s a new song, but it sort of to me sounds like Rooney. Like it sounds like what people know Rooney to sound like. And I think its good after all these years to give people a touch of familiarity before all this other new music comes out. And I want people to know that even tough it’s a new time for this band, it’s still the band everyone has liked for all these years. It’s still the same.
VM: So, SX really quick. You just got in, you probably haven’t seen much. What’s your SXSW plan?
RS: I don’t know, I don’t even know how to find shows. When it comes to SXSW, its always great to be here but I’m always here to do a show and I’m never in the mindset of seeing other bands.
VM: Finding shows is a full time job, I literally had a spreadsheet I had to make so I completely understand.
RS: Well I really just want to just chill out and enjoy being in Austin cause I really like being here. So I just want to have a little bit of down time. Maybe if there’s a good show. I’ve gotta get my badge. I don’t have a pass yet, I gotta pick it up.
VM: Do you have any favorite restaurants in Austin? Or food you’re looking to enjoy?
RS: The Salt Lick, I’d like to try to go. I went there once and I was like this place is awesome. I couldn’t believe it.
VM: The Salt Lick is like a cultural experience.
RS: It really is, there’s nothing like it.
***5% of all purchases of Rooney’s Washed Away made through the preorder page are being donated to The Pablove Foundation in support of their mission of helping kids with cancer live***