girl about town

Spill! Mike Schulman from Slumberland Records!

 

Pants Yell! "Someone Loves You" from Slumberland Records on Vimeo.

Slumberland Records has a swagger to its walk this year, with attention bearing out: while breakout acts such as Crystal Stilts and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Pants Yell! have hit their stride, and the strong label's roster also holds stand out groups like Summer Cats, Liechtenstein, Brown Recluse, Gregory Webster (gone solo from Razorcuts!), Brilliant Colors, Sunny Day In Glasgow, Frankie Rose, Cause Co-Motion! and others who are also ringing in; you could say that 2009 is label owner Mike Schulman's banner year. It's been over ten years from when this young upstart label was first breathed to life with groups like Velocity Girl, Sleepyhead, Black Tambourine, The Softies, Stereolab, and the Swirlies, and even now; it grows, and ever so. "It's definitely been a labor of love ....", states label owner Mike Schulman.

Girl About Town: Slumberland is 20 this year! Congratulations--did you imagine that you would have as much output as you have? What have been a few of your favorite releases after all these years, and why?

Mike Schulman: Thanks! I can honestly say then when we started the label I never would have anticipated how long we'd be at it or how productive we'd wind up being. I figured each of the core bands (Black Tambourine, Whorl, Velocity Girl, Powderburns) would release a single or two, and that'd be about it. I guess the big shift was looking beyond that immediate group of bands and working with other people whose music we liked. Once we did that, the only limitations are money, patience and common sense. Or the lack thereof…

It's hard to pick favorite releases since we've had so many, but a few milestones that mean a lot to me: the first single (of course), the Jane Pow single (first release by a band outside DC), the Lilys album (our first LP and CD), the Stereolab album (of course). The string of stuff from the mid-90s (Ropers, Boyracer, Lorelei, Henry's Dress) is all really close to my heart; even though the bands were scattered across the east coast, west coast and england it seemed like we had a really tight group. Fun times.

One of the newest bands on your label, Goteborg, Sweden's band Liechtenstein, recently released their debut Slumberland album "Survival Strategies in a Modern World". As an indie label owner, what would you say your top five survival strategies are in a world where walk-in record shoppes have been becoming a sort of 'endangered species'?

1. Put out great music
2. Package it nicely
3. Don't press too many copies of anything; repressing on the fly is much less painful than looking at unsold records piled up in your basement
4. Keep at it - consistency gets attention
5. Put out great music

You also worked at a record shop while running the label; did this have an impact? As Slumberland began to support and release monumental acts such as Velocity Girl, Black Tambourine, Boyracer, The Softies, Lilys, Henry's Dress, Stereolab, and others; did you feel as though you were listening while maybe other labels didn't know what they were missing?

Working in stores was really useful at the beginning because it gave me connections with and access to distributors, and gave me some vague idea of how the whole thing worked. It was always great to work at a store because I would get to hear so much music, new and old. It was a great ongoing education, and of course provided crucial discounts to help fuel my collection addiction.

I don't know if I would say that other labels didn't know what they were missing, but I for sure felt like there wasn't a lot of attention paid to pop or to English bands by US indie labels. Of course this is a generalization, but when we started expanding Slumberland beyond our core of DC bands it was definitely a goal to work with bands and the kind of music that we thought needed more exposure.

Are you able to look back and see how important your contributions are to a generation of indie musicians and DJs that were a huge part of the music during the early 90s, and were your releases inspired by those who were inspired by the C86 release?

I guess looking back on things it does seem like there's a new generation of bands and labels who are inspired by what we (and others) did in the 90s in the same way that Slumberland and its bands were inspired by C86 (and C81!). I guess that's an interesting side-effect of our longevity, that we're now working with bands who came up listening to our old records; I think that's mighty cool.

How large would you say your own record collection is; tell us about your most treasured pieces and what they represent for you.

Oh, this is embarrassing; I haven't actually counted in over ten years, but I think my collection is somewhere around 25,000 records, and a few thousand CDs. Yikes. How did THAT happen? Some of the most treasured pieces might include:

My Bloody Valentine - Sunny Sundae Smile 7" (autographed by Deb and Colm) - the rarest MBV record? when Deb and Colm did an in-store at Vinyl Ink she was shocked to see it at all, said there only a few hundred and she'd never seen one. Even if it's not the rarest it's my favorite, and one i played the grooves off of.

Orange Juice - Falling and Laughing 7" - Arguably the first indiepop record. Postcard is easily one of my favorite labels and biggest inspirations, and everything about this single rules.

Roger & The Gypsies - Pass The Hatchet 7" - I won't even front like I've had this record since I was a kid or something. It's one of my favorite New Orleans soul singles, featuring the inimitable Eddie Bo, may he rest in peace. My wife and I spent our honeymoon in New Orleans and got to see Mr. Bo play and it was incredible. When he played this tune I just about shit myself. One of my top music moments.

In celebration of your 20th year anniversary there will be two gigs; one in DC (at The Black Cat on Nov. 13th) and one in NYC (at The Bell House on Nov. 24th) which will feature Crystal Stilts, Brown Recluse (from here in Philadelphia) and Pants Yell!. Bands like Lorelei, Nord Express, and The Ropers have been with the label from the beginning--it must be exciting to have the past and present of Slumberland coming together for these two celebratory shows. Can we barter with you for inside information on the "special surprise guest" for the NYC date?

Oh, this now has since broke as you probably know: it's The Pains. Having some old school bands like The Ropers, Nord and Lorelei involved is a great thrill for me; it makes the continuity of the label totally explicit.

Would you say that these past few years have turned into an upset win for the label with the growing successes of burgeoning acts such as The Lodger, Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Cause Co-Motion!, Brown Recluse, Crystal Stilts, Liechtenstein, and others?

Yeah, i guess you could say that. I don't anyone (including myself) expected to have as much success the last few years as we have, it's just exciting to be putting out records again and have people paying attention. And maybe more attention now than ever!

What can you tell us about your latest releases and newest signing Devon Williams? What other output from Slumberland should we be looking forward to?

I think Devon Williams is amazing - he writes really great classic pop songs in the brill building tradition and makes beautifully-crafted records. Live the songs are stripped-down and have a tough, new wavy tenseness, sort of like Elvis Costello channeling Buddy Holly or the more classicist of the early CBGBs bands. He's working on an album for release next Spring that I'm very excited about. Also working on albums are Brown Recluse and Neverever, who used to be known as Champagne Socialists. In addition, we're working on some reissues of classic stuff from The Ropers, Henry's Dress and Black Tambourine. They'll all be omnibus editions of those band's works, with unreleased songs, new art, liner notes, etc etc. Very cool.

What has it been like running a label so personal to you after so long: it must be a labor of love. What are the positives and negatives of being the head of a label that is so close to your heart?

It's definitely been a labor of love for me; I've had to keep a full-time job and grind on the label in my "free time." The negatives mostly revolve around time and money issues, but for me they're far outweighed by the positives. I've gotten to work with the music I love and the bands I dig for twenty years now, and I do feel like we've contributed something of value to our little corner of indie culture. Can't ask for much more than that!

Happy Anniversary Slumberland:
Cheers to 20 Years and counting!

November 13, 2009 @ The Black Cat // Washington DC
Tickets: http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/8171.aspx

Crystal Stilts
Brown Recluse
Pants Yell!
Frankie Rose and The Outs
The Ropers
Nord Express
Lorelei

November 14, 2009 @ The Bell House // Brooklyn NY
Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2936044

Crystal Stilts
Brown Recluse
Pants Yell!
Frankie Rose and The Outs
The Ropers
Nord Express
Lorelei
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Slumberland Records - web site

Spill! Interview with Nona of Dark Dark Dark

Photo by Tim Piotrowski via Dark Dark Dark myspace

Girl About Town had the pleasure of interviewing Nona Marie Invie of Dark Dark Dark after their set at the First Unitarian Church last Friday. The band shared the stage last week with Au and Why?. Oh, and did we mention it was a sold out show? Because it was. We got a chance to find out about Dark Dark Dark's influences, and future, as well as their upcoming film "Flood Tide".

Girl About Town: First off, how did you all meet and form?

Nona: Well, Marshall and I both met in Minneapolis. He played in a band I really loved, and we just started hanging out and eventually started playing music together. We just sort of picked up people along the way.
   
I heard that you guys are 'Travelers' and that you come from all over the 'States. I was wondering how that affected your music.

Marshall and I both come from Minneapolis but we’re playing with Walter who’s from New Orleans and Todd who’s from New York. We travel most of the year, everywhere. I think it influences our music because we’re exposed to a lot of different kinds of fans everywhere. We’re really open to hearing different kinds of things.

Any favorite place in the 'States?

I love New Orleans! I love it. I can’t help it, it’s great!

Do you write most of your songs on the road?

We end up having to, on the road, since we travel so much. But usually, we’ll write songs when we’re able to sort of hunker down somewhere for a while. We were just in New York, upstate New York, for five weeks. Marshall and I were both working on writing songs.

Have you found the touring inspiring? You haven’t been on this tour very long, but generally?

This specific tour just started, but in general, I think traveling inspires us. Whether it’s traveling or just visiting friends or going from swimming hole to swimming hole.

I just wanted to say that I thought your sound was really different and honestly refreshing. You guys don’t seem to follow trends, musically, at all; which is great. Can we expect more of that from you guys in the future or are you changing up your sound?

We’ve just added the trumpet and the piano, which is a pretty big change since our last record. So, that’s the biggest change right now. Hopefully we’ll be adding a drummer for our next record and our next tour and then we’ll see.

Can you please tell me some more about 'Flood'?

The movie is now officially called Flood Tide and you can find it at floodtidefilm.com. It was written by Todd Chandler, who’s our bassist. It’s an experimental narrative film. We all [Dark Dark Dark] star in it [laughs]. We wrote the score for it, that’s what we were doing in upstate New York for five weeks. We were writing the soundtrack and recording it. It takes place on the Hudson River, two summers ago, where 30 of our friends built a bunch of rafts and motored down the Hudson. We played music in towns along the way and had a big performance. The movie isn’t about that! But the movie is in that setting about the people on the boats and on the water. The cinematographer is Ava Berkofksy and she’s really incredible. She has a background in still photography and she has an adapter on her camera so she can use still lenses.

What’s next?

Next we’ll be in Minnesota recording an EP and a full-length this winter. And then tour, and beyond....

What music have you been listening to?

I just love my friends’ bands! I can’t get over how good my friends are. Like, The Callers from Brooklyn are amazing. Walter’s in a band called Why Are We Building Such A Big Ship? in New Orleans. Also, Hurray for the Riff Raff. She’s a really beautiful singer. And I love…Antony & The Johnsons. I listen to mostly my friend’s bands!

A reference legend to the favorite new music of Dark Dark Dark:
Au - band site /aagoo / myspace
Why? - anticon / myspace
The Callers - myspace
Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship? - myspace
Hurray for the Riff Raff - myspace
Antony & The Johnsons - band site / myspace

Dark Dark Dark - band site / supply and demand / myspace

Spill! Interview with The Dodos

Girl About Town recently talked with Logan Kroeber, of The Dodos about their newest album, Time to Die, as well as touring, musical influences, and Philly.

The Dodos are Meric Long, Logan Kroeber, and (newly added) Keaton Snyder from San Francisco. The band’s second album, Visiter is a vibrant, complex album bursting with African Ewe drumming, elaborate instrumentation, and catchy pop melodies. Visiter got The Dodos a lot of attention, and their song “Fools” has even appeared in a beer commercial.

 For Time to Die, Long and Kroebe added vibraphonist Keaton Snyder, and also worked with a new producer; Phil Ek. Ultimately, Time to Die is a more polished album, loosing some of the raw energy that makes Visiter so attractive. It is however, an album that establishes stability for the band and is certainly not without highlights–tracks like “Longform”, and “This is Business”, are intricate, melodic, and rock out.

The Dodos will be playing at the First Unitarian Church on October 12^th, 2009 with Auckland band, The Ruby Suns.

Girl About Town: How was working with producer Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes) on Time to Die?

Logan Kroeber: Fun outside the control room and challenging inside. He has really great ears and never let any of us get away with anything. He could hear the tiniest flaws. Other than that we bonded over food the whole time.

Why did you decide to stream Time to Die on the internet prior to its release date?

The label came up with the idea. It just seemed like a good way to make sure people heard the right versions of the songs and then offer them a way to purchase them if they liked what they heard.

Is there a story behind the title Time to Die? What made you choose that for the title of your record?

It comes from a little catchphrase that Meric would say before going into anything stressful. It's not meant to be morbid.

La Blogotheque has said that your Takeaway show was one of its breakthrough videos. Though the show was filmed some time ago; what stands out to you from the experience?

I don't know if we're talking about the same video, but I remember playing red and purple in Meric's basement and beating on this pipe. Then his neighbor came down and slowly and repeatedly told me to stop from over my shoulder as the pipe went through his living room.

What do you enjoy about touring?

The food, the scenery, the hard to describe feeling of satisfaction you get when you finally feel at ease drifting along with the rest of your caravan.

 What are some albums that have been particularly influential to The Dodo’s development?

Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet

Led Zeppelin - Various

O.M.D. - Singles

How do you feel about the term “indie rock” (and its sometimes negative connotation)?

It's sometimes hard to hear myself say it (like to border guards) but it is a blanket term that helps less musically adventurous people understand what we do.

What is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

That we're gonna get to see Thee Oh Sees there in a couple of weeks. You should come.

The Dodos - band site / myspace
The Ruby Suns - band site / myspace
Thee Oh Sees - myspace

Spill! The Sons & Heirs - Reader meet author....

Photos by D. O'Toole

Tonight The Sons & Heirs will grace the stage at Public Assembly in Williamsburg, NY with Green Shirt. The NY-based group were working with a new bassist when we spoke last, and made the crowd go mad in the sweltering August heat when they played local venue The North Star. As one of this regions most well-known Smiths and Morrissey tribute acts, The Sons & Heirs are filling in the black hole left in the hearts of thousands by a still-legendary group.

And now this Friday, as gloomy and rainy as it feels, it looks to be the perfect date to discuss a group that pays homage to such a well-known and loved band, and singer: The Smiths and Morrissey. It even makes sense that we will get to see two legends paid tribute to in one night spent in Williamsburg, NY at Public Assembly tonight when we see: Elvis Costello (Green Shirt) with The Smiths and Morrissey (The Sons & Heirs), with guest DJs to follow. Should we be on the lookout for an Andy Rourke sighting? Doors open at 10 p.m. and the cost is only $10. 

Girl About Town: Are there any songs in The Smiths or Morrissey's catalogue that The Sons & Heirs would get asked to play; but that you would never perform live?

Ravi Marr: There would be two.
Ronnissey: Now I want to hear yours to see if they're the same as mine. Can I answer this one too?
Ravi: Okay, at least that stand out in my memory. One that we've never played, would be "Lucky Lisp", and....
Ronnissey: I'm going to say "Tony the Pony", people cry this title out, an awful lot.
Ravi: That we've never played, and one that we won't play again is "Well I Wonder".
Ronnissey: I was also going to say "Reel Around the Fountain". Quite a few people ask for that as well.
Ravi: Well, with "Reel Around the Fountain" and "Well I Wonder", we've played them like once or twice....
Ronnissey: ....and we've gotten no reaction from the crowd.
Ravi: Well, because they're really slow, plaintive songs and in the middle of a high energy set. Even if someone really wants to hear it, 80% of the crowd are going to end up catching up with their friends or going to the bar to get a drink. We've just found that unless there's a really compelling outcry, the setlist just works much better when it keeps people really excited and engaged.

What is the longest set that you've ever played for an audience?

Ronnissey: We played a BB King's set for 2 1/2 hours.
Ravi: Yes, and didn't we end that set with, "I Know It's Over"? That was one of our encores....
Ronnissey: Yes! I do believe you're right about that.  

Are you ready to pack it in after a point?

Ronnissey: No, never! The audience was calling for more. They had just put on the house lights, otherwise we probably would have come out and done a few more....
Ravi: One of the things that I love about playing in this band is that for years I toiled in original bands that were only given 40 minute sets and, I feel like I'm not really warmed up until, like, the 8th song, and then in this band--we still have 3 or 4 more. It's easier for me because I'm not using my voice...but, to be able to play for an hour and a half, or even two hours, is a real privilege. You just get wrapped up in the audience and they give you all of the energy that you need, and the longer you play (the longer I play); the more energy you have.

So, where does the audience end and your persona begin? Is this project an extension of your personalities, or is it real for you?

Ronnissey: This whole thing, is like an experience--for everyone. You can't BE yourself, because people are demanding you to be The Smiths, or Morrissey. The Smiths tribute acts are, I'm going to say, CONSUMED with everything being perfect, or as close to perfection as possible. Like, people will come up to us after the show and say, 'That show was perfect, buuut....on this one song--the live version...did you ever hear this...or that...'. And, you can't take liberties. You have to stick within a certain framework in order to do this kind of thing right.
Ravi: It's kind of like a shared fantasy. Like, everybody in the room has to believe that you're at a Smiths' show, otherwise it doesn't work. So when you get a crowd, and you VERY RARELY get a crowd that hasn't been completely crazy and packed with huge Smiths fans...and when you don't have that, the illusion sort of...wears off.
Ronnissey: The thing is, too--almost everyone here has seen Morrissey live, and people go home and wish they would have seen The Smiths. The people who come to our shows really want that experience, and feel like they missed out on it.
Ravi: It really does depend on the audience. We're trying to re-create the experience of seeing them, when they were touring and in their prime, to be able to give that to people is amazing.
Ronnissey: There are so many live shows for people to compare us to....you have to get it right.
Ravi: It's amazing. You can get wrapped up in how big the stage is, the sound system, and how much rehearsal you've had, and what the setlist is going to be like. You can get wrapped up in all of that, but in the end it doesn't matter. If the crowd wants to have a good time, and has had a few drinks, and they believe that you're going to entertain them, it becomes a great night.

Are you perfectionists, and do you rehearse a lot?

Ronnissey: I think that we are, sure. We have so much reference material, that we'll be in rehearsal, and playing a song and one of us will stop things to say, 'Wait a minute, that's not right.' and then we'll refer ourselves back to a live track, and then an album track, or even an obscure bootleg track....we want to make sure that we get exactly what was trying to be captured at the time that it was being played.
Ravi: We rehearse once a week, but they're long rehearsals and you don't spend an hour working on one song--you spend three or four hours working on 30 songs. I mean, it's really easy and really hard at the same time. It's easy because there's none of that tension similar to people playing in an original band: no one is trying to get their own agenda or their own ideas across. We all know what it should sound like, and we all know what the sound is about.
Ronnissey: We've heard of tribute bands disbanding because of 'creative differences'....
Ravi: But we know, that's just the easiest part: we know what it should sound like. If I point out something in a bass line that I think isn't right, we can go back to these things (the bootlegs, the recordings) and I can verify what I'm hearing, and it's not a 'personal issue'.

 

What inspired each of you to become part of such an involved tribute act? Were you all The Smiths or Morrissey fans at a young age--how long have you been playing these songs?

Ronnissey: I was not a The Smiths fan growing up, honestly. I started an original band, and played guitar, and we couldn't find a singer, so I started singing. And whenever we played shows, people would actually scream out The Smiths' songs, and 'play this one, or play Big Mouth...or' and I was like, 'What is this stuff?'. So I eventually went home and started listening, and I started liking their music, a lot after being compared to that. I started out a little bit late....
Kevin Joyce: Well, I was a The Smiths fan since high school--definitely. I mean, to me: Morrissey and The Smiths were always number one. And, you know. I like a lot of different stuff, but, there's Morrissey--and then there's everyone else. It's always been that way for me. But, as a musician, the drums of The Smiths or Morrissey's solo stuff. I would just practice along to the different songs. And it never even crossed my mind to play in a tribute band until I was searching for Smiths stuff on Craigslist to see if I could find other musicians who were into it, and saw an ad, and....well, we got together.
Ravi: I grew up listening to The Smiths. I never took guitar lessons--I'm self-taught, and I learned guitar playing along to records and when I really broke out (I think) as a guitar player was when I was playing along to Smiths records. When it really clicked for me, was when I listened to the first few bootlegs that I could get my hands on. And then I heard Johnny Marr play all of the parts on the record, and that was it for me; that was how I wanted to play guitar....for the rest of my life. And I did that in an original band for a long time, and we were having trouble getting together for practice and I really just needed a new outlet to play. The way that we met was by finding a posting from another singer, who was looking to form a tribute band. Kevin, Johnny (our original bass player), and myself, got together with him (we all saw the ad) and responded. It wasn't going to work, with the singer, but the three of us left that first audition and we thought: 'this is really gonna work, if we can find the right person to sing'. And that's when we posted and found Ronnie.

So tonight was the first time playing with your new bassist (Gregg Levinthal a.k.a. Gregg 'Rourke')?

Ravi: Splitting with Johnny was definitely amicable and Gregg has become a great fit.
Kevin: Gregg was a friend of mine from high school, and we both loved The Smiths. He wasn't as dedicated to the music as we are at first, but I just told him, I said: 'Wait and see, you're going to find these bass lines really fun and challenging.' and he did.
Ravi: We definitely miss Johnny because the four of us were a stable unit, for three years?
Kevin: Three years.
Ravi: All the way from the beginning....but, it's going to be great.

How many shows have The Sons & Heirs played?

Ronnissey: Would anyone say thirty?
Ravi: Yeah, I would say about thirty since our inception, because it's not quite once a month, but it's close.

So winding down, what is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

Ravi: The people, definitely...
Ronnissey: The people. Yes.
Kevin: People definitely come out and enjoy themselves here.
Ravi: It's always a really honest and energy-driven crowd....
Kevin: As long as they keep asking us back, we'll keep playing!

The Sons & Heirs - band site / myspace

Spill! Day One SF Pop Festival, an interview with Pelle Carlberg

There is definitely something really wonderful about smaller festivals that make a whole festival-going experience lighter, and far more exciting. Last Friday in San Francisco, Girl About Town began covering one of our first out of city festivals of the year. In a city where large hills and wind-swept hair rules the street, you can't go wrong by chasing that cool ocean chill with a bit of heart-filled pop beat!

The first day of the festival showed us what successful festival planning can really be like, with passes already sold out, and kids lining up around the block practically spilling out to the street in greetings and hi-fives over pop fests past at the first venue of the evening; The Rikshaw Stop. A lot of the regulars had either come to see their favorite band, are in their friend's band's side-project, or are friends with their favorite band and possibly putting them up for the week. This doesn't include the new fans, but those who are new bridge the gap between the regulars and some have even flown in from out of the country for the first time in anticipation of seeing bands who may have never played live, or may be playing their last show live.

The first night's popfest show began with opener Pelle Carlberg, the most immediate comparison being one similar to that of Belle & Sebastian--but Carlberg is so much more. Pelle; who is working on his most recent album with Labrador Records' Johan Angergård, of The Legends and The Acid House Kings, was accompanied on stage with vocals, guitar and harmonica by Jonathan Hummelman. Playing long-titled crowd favorite "Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls" handclaps played him out to whoops and laughter, and the flame song that followed--the tongue-out, "Go To Hell, Miss Rydell" (about a writer who reviewed Carlberg's former band Edson) became the highlight of the set with the song "Pamplona" (a song tied loosely to the subject of the race of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain) leading him out.

Following the original popfest date, Pelle has been playing supporting dates from West Coast to East, and tonight is slated to play Philadelphia, on May 31st, at The Khyber! This is only Carlberg's second time out to the US, but his saccharine tunes and breathy, jangle-pop delivery will surely demand a return for the talented singer and his songs.

Pelle Carlberg: The thing is, my real name is “Per” and the nickname for “Per” is “Pelle”. It is a very old, traditional, Swedish name. It’s spelled with two “L”’s and “Pelé” the (football) soccer player is just a single “L”, and I wasn’t named after him. But when I took the name “Edson” for my band, it was a play on words, because “Edison Arantes do Nascimento” took the name “Pelé” so I took his. Soccer and the players in the game can be so exciting. Even though a game can go ‘nil, nil‘ (zero-zero), there’s just such a drama to it. There’s an elegance to it.

Girl About Town: How would you describe your audience over here in the US?

I get a lot of emails from the US about “The Lilac Time”. I’ve been around for quite a while…. I’ve been in bands since 1985, and there was no thing… called ‘indie’ or ‘alternative-pop’ when I started playing, and I‘ve more or less, always been playing the same style of music. In the ‘90s when this thing called ‘alternative-pop’ and ‘indie’ came up, I already felt as though I had missed that train at the time. I’ve always just tried to write the kind of music that I love listening to. It’s not very produced, but I just try to give each song what it requires. I usually write the lyrics first; then I’ll pick up a guitar, sit down, and find a melody to go along with them, or try something at the piano.

Do you play most of the instruments in your recordings? Are you a multi-instrumentalist?

I play quite a few instruments….but not very good! No, I mean, I’ve played guitar for more than twenty years, and I’m probably still not very good, but I can play my songs….and that’s good enough for me. I tend to play all of the instruments myself when I’m recording, and then have my friends come in--like, I’ll have all of the ideas down and what I think a bass line should sound like for the song to give them an idea of where I think it should go.

Would you say that your songs are all very personal experiences?

The songs that I write are “kitchen sink” and they’re 99% my life.

If you had to choose an author and re-create songs using only the content of his books, and you could take the material anywhere musically--who would be the author?

Have you heard of an author named Roddy Doyle? He wrote that trilogy for film; The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van. I kind of like his sense of humor in the darkness. There’s always a serious button to things, but he writes with some kind of….‘glimpse in the eye’ to it. But still, there’s something; I guess I’m a bit fed up by the Irish of it. There’s something a bit too jolly, and party-all-the time about it that’s too much; and that’s not really me. It’s just part of their culture to just 'be,' and be happy, and drink a lot, and….

So what would be the ultimate cultural portrayal for you via your own music? We see Damon Albarn and others delving into different cultural settings with their abilities and experience (Albarn producing Mali’s Amadou & Mariam)--where could you see yourself in a different culture’s settings and what culture would that be?

I don’t know, I guess I would dig even deeper into the past. This might sound awkward, but I’m quite into American music. I actually really enjoy Creedance Clearwater, so maybe some late 60s, early 70s American rock n’ roll. There’s something about just plugging in your guitar and just singing it....you just sing it out loud… And there are no filters, whatsoever. Today’s music has a lot of filters (and production) and you hide everything behind cool things and props-like. I’d like to strip down the music even more, and I wish that I could be a bit louder, sometimes.

How did the production of your own album come together for you?

I’ve been recording in a small studio in Stockholm that I share with Johan (Acid House Kings, The Legends) from Labrador Records. So I’m there during the days and he’s there at night in the evenings. It’s nearly a home recording studio, but digital. Everything I do there is very organic though. It’s not a big thing for me, but that’s the way that I work. Today if you want a tambourine on a song, all you have to do is ‘drag and drop’ audio files--but I‘d rather do it myself. You can get so many different dynamics and nuances if you just do it yourself.

Tell us about some of the simple nuances in your songs….

All of my songs are full of nuances, because I never really do things over and over. I usually end up keeping the first vocals that I add [to a song], just to have something to work with. There are always so many sounds in there; like telephones ringing, or kids playing in the background and stuff. I normally like to keep those sounds in, because that’s the way I want my music to be--it should be full of life and not sterile.

What has been your favorite thing about touring the US out of the two times that you’ve been here?

Oh, that’s a simple one. I’ve been touring Asia quite a lot and all over Europe, and since my songs are based around lyrics, it‘s very hard to play to an audience who might not have English as their native-tongue. Just being in the US, where everyone understands what I’m singing is fantastic. My two favorite countries to come and play are the UK and the US, for natural reasons, of course… Swedes are generally very good at English, but not when it comes to listening to lyrics, because we learn English quite early, but not early enough. Because we hear it in music, and on television, well; since we’re born. And, then, we sort of learn to listen to it phonetically, instead of actually knowing the meaning the words and that’s likely why we’re so melodic--and maybe the reason why melodies are so important to us in turn.

Pelle Carlberg - band site / labrador records / myspace

Spill! Interview with Chairlift

 

Sophisticated synth-pop darlings Chairlift will be hitting the area tonight to play the Susquehanna Bank Center as show opener for The Killers.  Sounds killer, right?  Chairlift is a trio from Brooklyn via Boulder that has been having a banner year.  You may recognize Chairlift from the i-pod Nano commercial, or perhaps from Vanity Fair, who dubbed them one of "three bands to watch" this year, or perhaps even from all the recent touring they have done.  But now that you know them you won't forget them, especially since they just released their major-label debut last month.  We asked Aaron Pfenning, Chairlift's main man with the New Wave hair to fill us on on what's been happening with the band and let us inside his head.

Girl About Town: So how did you all meet and why did you move from Boulder, Colorado to Brooklyn?

Aaron: Caroline and I met in an economics class and then she came over, I made some Yerba Mate and naturally, we got creative.  We moved to Brooklyn because I was ready to get out of Colorado where I had been for 10 years and Caroline got into art school at NYU.

As a new-ish band, you've had a lot of favorable press and hence opportunities, such as placement in an i-pod commercial and tours with major alternative artists - not to mention signing with Columbia Records.  Do you consider yourself lucky or have you been strategic in your decisions as a band?

We're strategic in the sense that we make band decisions based on what we want to communicate with art. It's never been our intention to get on a big label. We put our time and work into writing and producing the best material we can.  Making good music always comes first. Apple tracked us down at a time when nobody was working for us and we were on a tiny label and they asked if they could use our song. We think Apple makes great products and most musicians use iPods so it makes sense: we help them and they help us.

There was a time we can remember when synth-pop was front and center of popular music.  We are glad to see that more bands like Chairlift are embracing the genre.  As a synth-pop band, what are some of your influences?

Depeche Mode, Prefab Sprout, Prince, David Bowie, The-Dream, The Knife, Elvis Presley, The Doors, Roxy Music.

You have shared the stage with bands such as Peter, Bjorn, & John; Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; and The Killers.  Do you have a favorite experience with any of these bands from the road?

I'm having a favorite experience as I type this:  I'm snuggled in The Killers bunk on their bus eating deluxe cheese hot dogs. 

 
L to R: Patrick, Caroline, Aaron

What are your favorite type of live shows to perform: down-and-dirty clubs, festivals, arenas?  Would you agree that your music is perhaps best suited to dark indoor spaces where the crowd can get lost in the dreamy mood of your music?  (This question was inspired by the fact that you are playing Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza and I am wondering how your music will translate in a wide open air space - unless of course you are playing in a tent or other indoor space).

I enjoy small dark spaces where I can see everyone and it's a close experience for everyone.  But it's also natural to me to play outdoors.  We just played outside in Columbus and the vibe was great; kids eating candy, dads drinking Budweiser and everyone grooving in the grass together. Those are good scenarios too, it's almost like creating our own "Planet Health" in real time.   

Who would you like to record with in the future - any special producers out there that you admire? And how about bands to tour with?  Do you have a dream show in mind?

Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) produced "Dixie Gypsy" on our record and he and I had super vibes, so I'd love to work more with him.  Other producers or musicians I want to work with: Jason Lytle, The-Dream, Brandon Flowers, Nick Zinner, Devonte Hynes, David Lynch. 

My dream show:  It would happen in a field in Jurassic Park, and Jeff Goldblum would curate the show.  I'm pretty sure My Bloody Valentine would headline. 

What has surprised you the most since your band has taken off?

People knowing words to our songs. Not just 'Bruises' either but songs like 'Earwig Town' and 'Territory'.  I wasn't ready for that one.  

What is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

My favorite thing from Philadelphia is Ira Wolf Tuton, the bass player from Yeasayer.  What a guy!  I also dig the fact that David Lynch lived in Philadelphia at one point.

Chairlift - band site / columbia / myspace

Spill! Interview with The Courteeners

Liam Fray of The Courteeners at Academy of Music, photo by John Packer | Blank Slate Photography

The Courteeners look very at home whether on stage or sitting 'round in the Plough & Stars as we settle in with Liam, Michael and manager David for some drinks and a bit of chat about their first US tour, the band's Mancunian status, and being chosen to open this half of the Tour Of Refusal supporting one of their very own; Morrissey. The Courteeners will play a special Girl About Town sponsored engagement (one of their very few non-support dates) right here in Philadelphia, tonight—Tuesday, March 24th—at The North Star Bar.

Formed in Manchester in around 2006, the band became fast-featured in UK press upon the exciting release of their Stephen Street-produced (The Smiths, Morrissey, Blur, Kaiser Chiefs) debut album, St. Jude, last April. The album was released by Polydor and early-on hit a high position in the UK charts, eventually going on to achieve Gold status. Already at work on their newest album, the band has excitedly been cutting the new songs into their live sets in anticipation. Of course we had to work in a little football talk—was it Manchester or City? "Manchester United all the way," said Liam. And on the topic of controversial England coach Capello and The Courteeners' own bassist with the similar sounding name? "Oh, we think we'll keep him. We like him alright; and he is a great bass player!" Cheeky monkeys! The Courteeners are: lead guitar and vocals Liam Fray, drummer and vocalist Michael Campbell, guitar Conan Moores, and bassist Mark Cuppello, not Capello.

Girl About Town: Has America lived up to your expectations so far?

Liam: Yes, definitely. We weren’t sure if anyone had even heard of us in America. The crowds have been phenomenal. Very, very receptive. I think it helps when you’re backing up somebody like Morrissey. Obviously, his fanbase is….a very loyal one. So when they see that he has tipped somebody else, suggested that they would be a good band….they’re already half way there because of it.

Do you feel as though you are given a kind of ‘stigma’ being a band that comes from Manchester, or ‘Madchester’ as it was known to those who were listening to Manchester-scene bands (probably in their mid-to-late 30s and above, now)? And does this kind of ‘stigma’ make you feel as though you have something more to prove?

L: Yeah, I mean, it's an unnecessary weight on our shoulders I think. People expect you to be, that you have to be as good as the Stone Roses or The Smiths, straightaway. A lot of bands have trouble in Manchester, because of  that. And, you get comparisons, straightaway. We’ve been compared to every single Manchester band (within good reason), most of the time even in the same review. Which is in no way, a kind of….bad thing, but ultimately we’re doing our own thing. We’re not trying to sound like Oasis or rip off The Stone Roses. It’s purely geographical. But, again; Manchester is where we’re from. We’re very proud of it, and the songs have a semi-universal meaning. Everything is written from where we’re from. This is possibly more of an English, press-thing though, that we’re not expecting to happen while we’re over in America. I only write songs because I love singing, and I love playing the guitar. I don’t care much for people who write reviews; unless it’s a good one—and then they can have all of my time!

Where did the name "The Courteeners" come from?

L: The rumor is that I came up with it, but nobody knows. Dave will probably claim that it was him!

And how long have you all known eachother?

L: Ah, well, we’ve known eachother all since we were knee-high to a grasshopper!

What inspires your songs and your music?

L: We kind of stumble across them. We don’t really go looking for a sound, maybe for the second album, we tried to channel things more….precisely, maybe, to get a certain….feeling. I nearly said ‘vibe’ there. I hate that term ‘vibe’. I had 7 or 8 songs, and I usually play acoustic guitar on my own, and when I ask Campbell if he’d like to play with me, I just end up shouting really loud over the drums—which explains the kind of, yodel, of the singing voice.

How did you come to the point of releasing your first album, St. Jude?

L: Through being a very good live band. We just have a lot of strong songs and people have a lot of faith in us—it’s good! We were playing a lot of big shows before being signed; it was a ‘word of mouth’ thing. It happened quite quickly. We had already had a lot of gigs in Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool before it came out.

Do you think Manchester has a supportive live music scene?

L: I think it can be. It can be very supportive….it can be very….unsupportive—it can be scathing. But, I think that’s what makes you good; it’s what kind of, what sets you up, then. It’s like, someone will say something very nice, and then someone will say something not very nice. You learn to deal with that—it happens in all walks of life. So. I don’t get hopped up on what 'such and such' said.

The arrangement of your live set has you moving between rock n’ roll to rocking a bit of the power ballad in the middle of the set—what made you choose these songs for your first dates of the tour? Did it seem a bit risky to break up the set like that for a brand new audience?

L: Well, it’s difficult when you’re playing a support show. If you get like, a half an hour set, with only 7 or 8 songs—you want to play the ones you enjoy the most. Really, we just play what we want to play.

Will you be changing the set up on these dates, then, versus playing the same set every night?

We will! Normally, if we were doing our own gig—we’d play about 18 or 19 songs. And there’s only room right now for like, 9 or 10. So we have to leave our norm behind, and this also makes it different for us.

Michael, what is your favorite song to play live?

Michael: Good question! I like, well….our album St. Jude came out in April in the UK, and since the turn of the year—last year, we’ve kind of been doing more of the second album. And while I love St. Jude, and playing songs from that album, there is nothing quite like playing new songs. We have two newer songs that we were playing tonight, and one of the ones from there (I love playing). “Good Times Are Calling”, it's called. It’s a great song, it’s just....metaphorically and lyrically…. [It has a driving beat?] Yeah, and I just really enjoy playing it! It’s not like, don’t let’s come across as us saying, you know, that its in any way detrimental to St. Jude…but its right up there with songs like “Bide Your Time”, I love playing that song.

And, Liam, what’s the cleverest lyric that you think you’ve ever written--something that strikes you? A lyric that makes you stop and think whenever you sing it.

L: How long have you got! Ehhh…let’s see. I liked the first line tonight in “No You Didn’t No you Don’t” where it says, “just because I use salty phrases and I go through stages Where I neglect endeavor does it mean I'm not clever?”. Because I think, you know—being from the North, if you use a ‘swear’ word, then you’re automatically bastard-ed off as this, you know, ‘oik’ of a drunk.

Like being ghettoized, or being branded as what some might call a ‘thug’?

L: Almost. It’s just kind of....ridiculous. And, the length of my eyelashes are very full, so....

Holding down the middle 'c'; Mike and Liam surrounded by Conan and Mark

What is the next step for The Courteeners?

L: World Domination. Yes, absolutely. No, but really—we’re looking forward to tackling America!

How did the support call come about for doing the Morrissey tour?

Liam: He knows his stuff; doesn’t he? He knows his stuff.
Michael: He came to a show, yeah
Liam: ….knocks on the door, and asks for a cheeky beer. So we got him beer, yeah, we just started talking and….
Michael: Did he have a beer….
Liam: Yeah, he had a few….he brought quite a few with him.

Were you freaked out, or excited?

Liam: I wasn’t freaked out really, but I was…I think; I was just really pleased that he wanted to come anon! But that’s all you have, because then you’ve got the show, haven’t you—and if you’re shit, then you’re shit.
Michael: It was kind of strange because, we’d gotten out of our transportation to the gig. Out of the foot of a Black Cab in London. And then, Morrissey walks out, and….and he says something like, ‘are you any good?’ and then he came for the whole gig and spoke to us afterwards for around half an hour and was such a gentleman.
Liam: He has love for it, because honestly—there are just so many rubbish bands about. There are so many bands that no one’s given any….a lot of bands, it’s like they don’t care or they don’t want to be there. Then go—and get into the trade of a plumber or something. As soon as you stop enjoying it, then stop doing it. So, he must really love it. And all this time; you know that he just really must know the legacy that goes along with it. And he must love it that the fans…I mean, I just buzz off of it, the fact that he is whatever the age he is, and that fact that he’s still got passion. I watched him last night and he was absolutely, electric! And I couldn’t believe it. We were on the balcony, and he was absolutely, fucking brilliant. From beginning to end. And for someone to have that much passion and get excited about new bands when they come along….is brilliant, I think. I mean it. And it, I mean, it makes you almost believe in yourself a little bit more. But then again, he’s only human.

For your first time in Philadelphia, what has been your favorite thing so far?

Definitely, the gig. Playing at The Academy of Music for our first show here in the city was just beautiful. It makes you….well, it’s just great to play places like that. It really takes your breath away a little bit, doesn’t it?

Girl About Town special thanks to Liam, Mike, the rest of The Courteeners, and especially Dave S.

The Courteeners - band site / myspace

Spill! Todd Jordan of Brighton UK's My Device

 
My Device photo by Tear-n Tan 

Late last year, GAT's Carly was able to make a dash for NYC's Cake Shop to catch up with some friends for a last-minute gig. Catching a later Chi-town bus than expected; the trip itself throttled this girl into the city in a shady under two hours which was frightful at the time but meant that Girl About Town was absolutely supposed to catch the set of openers from Brighton UK, My Device, who had released their latest album "Jumbo Fiasco" on Shifty Disco. Creating a buzz for themselves; the band were playing a week's round of live shows in the city with the headline on this particular evening being one of the band's own influences. The feeling all around was jubilant, and the set was furiously played with enough live energy to propel the crowd of onlookers to the front of the room to watch the action unfold. Afterwards, we were able to catch up with Todd Jordan, lead singer of the group, who gave us the run-down of the band's adventures on their first American city week-long tour in The Big Apple.

Girl About Town: How long has My Device been together for?

Todd Jordan: Seven years, but we were only good for about three of them.

And, the material you played tonight; was that from the new album?

We've got two albums, but there's only really one that we're plugging over here. About half the stuff is from the new one, which is Jumbo Fiasco (that's the one on Shifty Disco). The other half is stuff that we've written since then, that we just think is fun to play.

 
My Device photos by Tear-n Tan

Your live sound is a crossover between harder rock, and an early 70s punch reminiscent of The Flamin' Groovies Cyril Jordan and the album Teenage Head. A little bit of a 70s and 60s garage crunch mixed with punk. Where do your influences lie?

No one's ever said any of those things ever like that to us before. We really like The Fall, and we looove Ex-Models. Which, it's quite amazing to be playing here with Knyfe Hyts (pr. "Knife Hits") tonight. We're Devo fans, The Birthday Party, all of Nick Cave's stuff. I could go on and on, but I won't...

My Device is really animated while performing, I love that you all work together--your bassist (Russell Eke) really leans on your drummer, nearly on top of eachother with you (Todd) engulfing yourself into the crowd! So, this is your first time out to play the US, correct? What's your experience been like so far being away from home and Brighton?

First time out of England, yeah! It's been absolutely amazing, it's been THE most incredible time we've ever had. Every single person we've met....bar one cab driver, who was really angry at us for no reason at all....has been the most lovely people ever--ever, ever, ever, ever. And, we were expecting, like, people to be a bit stand-offish I guess, because we're not just from out of town--but we're from England, and we didn't know how well we'd go down with the American crowds. But every single person we've met has really opened their arms and have done everything they can to help us. It's been amazing!

 
 
My Device photos by Tear-n Tan

And what's been your favorite US show so far?
Tonight.

Tonight; The NY show (here at the Cake Shop)?

Absolutely. They're actually all NY shows, we're doing a week of shows here in NYC. We're doing five dates. The first one was when we arrived, and we played like, a loft in Bushwick (which was really fun) that's actually where we're staying with a group called The Library Is On Fire--who are incredible. And last night, we did Goodbye Blue Monday, which was really weird with everything nailed to the wall--again kind of a similar vibe to the loft show. What we're really not used to, is in England; every band gets a soundcheck, so, like you know, you turn up an hour before you're supposed to  play, and you fiddle with the things, get everything sounding right....

They don't have that here all the time--depending on the band, but you do just go on sometimes!

Nobody told us....you just walk up about ten minutes before you play, and then you just play. The first two shows we were a bit surprised. But once we shook off this anal-headed thing where we have to get all of the knobs in the right position....and just f**king playing, it's nice--it takes a lot of the stress out. There shouldn't be any stress; it should be a stress-free environment.

‘You can tell they’re a band who love distortion
pedals and bending weird sounds out of their 
guitars. They’re not a virtuoso band, which is 
cool, because rock’n’roll shouldn’t be about 
that, it should be about heart and passion and 
ideas and romance’ - NME 

 
My Device photos by Tear-n Tan

Your most recent album, Jumbo Fiasco (on Shifty Disco), was released just before '08 in England and you are just finding your way to the US. Are you hoping for a release over here or anywhere else?

Possibly early next year (2009), it's coming out in the rest of Europe. Really, one of the reasons we came [to the US], is that we were hoping to stick in on some shelves in America. We have the album, we just want to put it on some shelves, that's all we want.

Are you waiting to work on new material, or are you doing that now, regardless of whether it gets picked up or not?

We write all the time, but, you know what it's like--you don't choose when to write new material. We play all of the time because it's fun. It's not symphony music, you can't just sort of write it down, and then pull it out of a drawer later and play it exactly the same way. You've got to finish it there and then....and then try and record it before you forget it. And because, I don't know how to write or read [sheet] music. So we're always writing. Fortunately our drummer lives in a recording studio in Brighton, so we can record stuff really easy and then it's just, there. We've got about eight new songs. I'm sure by the time, if we ever (fingers crossed) get to do another album, we'll have grown sick of the load of them, and we'll have new ones--if we start early that means we can pick the most fun ones...

  
My Device photos by Tear-n Tan

"Their second album hurtles through 14 relentlessly intricate songs in 35 minutes, evoking classic art-pop from early Eno, The Fall and XTC through to current post-punksters The Futureheads and Young Knives, dispatched with the intensity of hardcore punk. Their humour and skill hits hardest on Eat Lead, a thrilling attempt to shoe-horn every great post-punk record into three minutes of gung-ho optimism." - Q Magazine

What's the craziest song you've ever written, besides "Super Tonio" about a baby named Antonio (who is, erm, very large)?

Well we just write about what interests us, really. We do have one song that was based around an accident. We had half of a song idea; we were playing around with it as a joke--it was like this really fast country and western song about how, 'we do what we want! when we want!'. It was just supposed to be an in-joke, and then we did this show in Brighton at our favorite venue, and it was just by luck--like, it was a really crazy one, with loads of people out and we finished too early and we needed to play more stuff, and all we had left was this half-finished song. So we were just like, do you guys mind if we play this song even though it's not finished. And we didn't have an ending, and so we played it until we'd got to where we got, and then I threw my guitar on the ground, and took the mic and ran around and talked to people....and then Russell threw his bass down, and then it just ended with the drums. And, it was just because we didn't know how to end it. We went back to the studio and we were like, 'we should try and finish that song,' and then we decided not to. And now, that's sort of how it happens every time. So there's now a set point in that song where we just, sort of, drop our instruments....

Was that the song that you played tonight?

Noo, that was--I broke a string--and I had to run and get the spare guitar backstage, so...

Well, that was really great live stage entertainment--quality!

Thank you! I break a sh*t load of strings. Yeah, we use the thickest gauge strings we can buy and still they're going and going, and going, all the time. When we're in England, we make sure to bring four guitars to shows. We couldn't bring any musical gear here, so we just posted our effects pedals ahead of us, and then went to the guitar store and bought the cheapest guitar models we could find, and I actually just plan to smash mine up on our last show here because it's just too big to bring home, so...

Our last question is normally reserved for the question "what is your favorite thing about Philadelphia," but, since you've never been...

No, wait--I actually do have a favorite thing! It's this thing I use back home on my bagels--Philadelphia Cream Cheese, a low-fat cream cheese. I really love that. (Ed note.: Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese was first created as a brand name in New York, at that time the name 'Philadelphia' was tacked on because in the 1880s the city of Philadelphia was considered to be "the home of top quality food" (- Kraft 'Philadelphia' brand name history)

My Device - band site / shifty disco records / myspace

Spill! House of Fire Interview

Isaac and Lucy Betesh, from Quakertown, PA-based psych-group House of Fire had a sit down with us to answer all of our heated-questions regarding the band's forthcoming album release--a follow-up to their exciting debut, as well as addressing recent line-up changes and the ups and downs of recording from home. The group will be performing live this Friday evening supporting Ravens and Vultures, along with locals Sunshine Recorder (which features mems. of The Cobbs) on Friday, December 12, 2008 at The North Star Bar here in Philadelphia. You can read more about House of Fire and check out GATs own review of the band's startling debut as well, by clicking here.

Girl About Town: Where did the name House of Fire come from?

Isaac: It's actually the Syrian definition of my last name.

The band's debut release, a fantastic self-titled album, came out earlier this year--any tentative titles for the follow-up release, and is the date set for the brand-new album to drop early in the new year?

Isaac: At this point we are half way done with the new record. It's been a much smoother process doing it all ourselves this time around. Last record we basically had to start from scratch, and re-record just about everything in our then apartment due to issues at the studio we booked. We have a few working titles, but I'm not letting the cat out of the bag just yet. I had to take almost two months off for surgery recently, so between that, other bands in our studio recording, as well as playing our own shows and some other random things, there have been a few long breaks in the work. Things are back on track now and we are pushing for a March release date at this point. Also I'm happy to say that one of our old band mates is doing the cover art.

Most artists don't have the luxury of recording in their own home studio allowing you to get more creative on less of a budget--what have you done to keep the vision of the new album in perspective, or are the tracks that you are working on separate entities equal in their own right?

Isaac: The idea initially was to make a record more like our live sound when we started tracking, and there will definitely be a lot of that included. That being said there are songs we are working on now that are taking on a bit of a different feel than our first record. I'm sure these new songs will sound different in a live setting, as the dynamic of our live sound has changed since then, but they definitely won't disappoint.   

What has been the best and worst thing about working on your own band's album at Greenhouse? And what would you say was your favorite song to work on for the new album (the song that you're most excited about performing live)?

Isaac: Aside from the obvious not having to worry about money, it definitely allows you to be more experimental, and to try things you wouldn't if you were watching the clock. Being able to sit down and work when inspiration strikes is a huge benefit, too. I guess the downside is that we all figure it'll always be there, so we can get lazy sometimes.

Lucy: Also, being as we have the final say, we know it'll sound really great to us when we're done.

Isaac: I've got several new favorites right now. There's a lot on the new album we are not doing live yet.
One of my favorites we do play live now is Dave's "Old Friend".

Lucy: All of the new songs are really exciting because they're new material. The first album had a lot of songs we had written a while back, so we really wanted to record them and move on. With the new songs; I think they really show how we've developed and grown as a band.

The band has had an exciting year already with the release of your album, and House of Fire's debut video, "Walking Along the Sun" (made on a tiny $80 budget) won this year's  IFC/Comcast "Get Local" music video contest; was this prize shared with the band, and what was it like working on the video with Blake Monahan--who came up with the idea behind the imagery?

Isaac: Working with Blake was great. He's an amazing talent, and a great guy.

Lucy: Yeah, a talented fellow. A 'videographical' alchemist!

Isaac: We saw a few things he had done and contacted him to see if he was interested in working with us. Within a week he was on our couch spouting off hundreds of ideas. He pre-scouted all the locations, and got extra hands so we could get everything done relatively fast. I gotta give Blake all the credit for everything.
We of course had a chance to make any changes, and ask for this or that when it was mostly finished, but we really wanted him to do what he wanted. I think his prize was $1000, and a state of the art HD camera.
Being the consummate gentleman, he offered, but we felt he deserved it. Not to mention that we now have one free video credit.

House of Fire has had some member changes throughout the band's history with most members coming from other local groups as well. Is the band's sound still evolving, and if so, would you say that this the best line-up yet?

Isaac: We could fill a book with stories of our revolving cast of characters. Once Peter joined the lineup stuck and started to really gel. Since then we've parted ways with EJ, and Alex. They went off to pursue other things. Although we miss them in some ways I think right now we are all really happy with our sound as a four-piece, and we are probably sounding better than we ever did at any time throughout the history of the band. I'd like to eventually add another person in the mix, but we're in no particular hurry to do so.

Lucy: As a 4-piece now, we have the opportunity to really tighten up and work more closely together. All of the band members now live within an hour of each other, which allows more time for rehearsals, recording and shows. I think this will prove to be a very solid line-up.

How do you feel about having multiple songwriters in the band--has this affected the band's dichotomy and sound with newer material?

Isaac: It's a huge benefit. Dave and I have been the sole songwriters since the beginning minus one song on the first disc. Dave is an amazing songwriter. Between the both of us there is a great mix without it sounding like something doesn't belong. We sort of act as counterpoints for each other in that respect, and it makes things more interesting. The newer material is different from the first record in a lot of ways, but there are enough similarities that it still sounds like us.

Lucy: as the only gal in the mix--what do you think is the strongest trait that you bring to the band's sound or persona (either good or bad) and what inspires you?

Lucy: I think it's great to see more women in music who get respect for being good, talented musicians, and not just the eye candy on stage. If in some way I can inspire other women to take their talent seriously and to keep pursuing it, then it's a great thing. Really, when I am playing, I'm a musician first and foremost. I think it's really hard to narrow down inspirations. Life is inspiring, relationships are inspiring, nature is inspiring, and certainly music is inspiring - even our own music. I definitely get a lot of inspiration just from sharing space with creative and talented people.

What is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

Isaac: I'd have to say that I do love the architecture here. Not many European looking cities left. Lots of little things, and although I've loved living in the city, I've realized I need my quiet place in the country that's not too far from Philadelphia.

Upcoming House of Fire Tour Dates:
Dec 12 The North Star // Philadelphia PA
Jan 17 Brighton Bar // Long Branch NJ
Jan 30 The Funhouse // Bethlehem PA

House of Fire - band site / universal warning records / myspace

Spill! Cut/Copy, interview with Dan Whitford

Melbourne, Australia's Cut/Copy most recently played to a frenetic and near sell-out crowd at Philadelphia's Trocadero (for more; read our live review) and although the band wasn't able to meet up with us at the show in person, lead singer and songwriter Dan Whitford happily answered a few questions for us in an email exchange. The band's latest album "In Ghost Colours" has been burning up the charts in Australia for the past year, and crowds in the US and Europe have been going similarly mad for easily some of the catchiest throwback to original new wave, mixed with experimental rock, and pop songwriting. We can't wait to see them in concert again after our last experience, and look forward to what could possibly turn into another great album for them at the end of next year. And, in the meantime....

Girl About Town: How did your band get signed to Modular Recordings?

Dan Whitford: It was pretty much a standard story for an unsigned artist. I had done some demos at home and sent them out to a few labels in the hopes of getting a release somewhere. I remember at the time that the only label I really wanted to be on was Modular, which was lucky because they were the only one that got back to me!

In Ghost Colours is quite an "epic" album in terms of the amount of material included--was it a case of not wanting to omit anything because it all flowed so well, or should it be looked at as a chronicle of a specific time period for your band as it was four years between your first and second album?

It's both really. I think people can do so much more with records than just put together the best songs from a recording session. We tried to make as much of the album flow by recording segues between songs. We even used tiny snippets of unfinished tunes to bridge some parts. The idea of an album working pretty much as a whole shouldn't be just the territory of 70s prog acts, there's no reason why pop songs can't work in the same way. So I guess that's what we were trying to do by including so much material all layered together. Hopefully it gives the record some more longevity too.

Your live show is fantastic, and although most of your material centers around your electronic sound, we really enjoyed seeing you perform "Unforgettable Season" especially because its guitar sound changes up your set and sound pretty drastically. What's your favorite song to perform live and why?

I think my favorite is So Haunted mainly because it packs pretty much every aspect of our sound into it. In general I've always loved playing our guitar tunes--we probably played a lot more guitar when we first started. It's a bit easier to thrash around with a guitar than it is with a keyboard, unless we invested in a keytar; but I don't think that will be happening any time soon. We get grilled enough about our 80's influences already...

We hear that Australia is mad for The Presets and that they headline sellout dates back home (they are great to watch live as well). What has it been like touring out and finding that you're such a success in the US, and essentially headlining dates with The Presets as support?

It's been amazing. We used to tour together all the time back in Australia when we first started. So for us, it's been like a reunion tour. We don't really get the opportunity to play together back home anymore because we're both headline bands, but this has been great. Three weeks of touring has just flown by.

Are there plans for another record, sooner rather than later, because In Ghost Colours has become such a success for your band?

Definitely. We've been accumulating records while we've been touring as well as bits of new gear and just ideas in general. I can't wait to start writing new stuff. Our touring winds up early next year so we'll get straight onto writing when we get home for a while.

You work as a graphic designer for Alter in your spare time. It must be a rush seeing fans enjoy your artwork for the band as well. Are you working on anything new for Alter that you think more people should know about?

We were just involved in an exhibition in LA which centered on art for music. It was probably the most interesting collection of artists I've seen for a long time in a design exhibition. But we're always working on new projects at Alter. Things never stop, even when I'm on the other side of the world with Cut Copy.

One of your most listed influences has been Beck Hansen, his mother and father are both very creative and artistic people as well. Did you/do you have the support of your own family when it came/comes to creating your own art?

Sure, I don't think that I would have ever had the confidence to take on art or music professionally without the support of my parents. My Dad was an architect and photographer and always encouraged my creative side regardless of dubious career prospects.

What is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

Definitely the crowds. I think they've always been some of the most insane audiences we've experienced. We even feared for our lives at  one show--I thought the mosh pit was going to crash through a barrier and envelope us. Scary but always fun.

Cut Copy - band site / modular recordings / myspace