Yay! The lovely Band of Horses have just announced the dates for their little Australian tour in August, so in honour of the occasion I thought I’d wheel out a longer cut of the interview I did with their beautiful and bearded singer, Ben Bridwell, way back in issue 20. Hope you enjoy ...

How would you describe your sound? “I would say Cosmic-Southern-indie-sad-pop.” Are there many other bands in that category? “No, we’re holding that one down all by ourselves!” So HMV has a section just for you? “Absolutely. Like the one record in the record store! No, I don’t know. We definitely have the indie sound of guitars that sound like they’re from the mid-‘90s or whatever, and those kind of chord structures, with a few of the kind of twangier leanings as well. So somewhere in there – derivative Southern pop?” You’re from South Carolina and you’ve just moved back there. What’s it like? “South Carolina, where I live, is right where the American Civil War started and we have a lot of old architecture, well old architecture for us is like 300-something years, but we have a lot of the classic settlers’ buildings still in place so it’s a tourist destination for sightseeing and history buffs.” Do they do those historical re-enactments there at all? “I’m sure they do because the war started when Fort Sumner was fired on by Fort Maltrey which I live next to. That’s what started the war. I imagine that they have some commencement stuff, but I didn’t grow up in that part. I grew up in a small town outside the capital, which is Columbia. So I didn’t grow up around that stuff – I grew up around normal rednecks.” You seem to be very knowledgeable on history, though... “Yeah, I like it. It’s super-cool to have it in your backyard and just to understand my own heritage. And as you get older, history becomes more interesting because you realise you’re nothing but a small drop of water in the pond, you know.” You were the drummer for many years in Carissa’s Weird, now you’re frontman in Band of Horses. What was it like making that jump? “At first it was really weird because I used to get nervous anyways playing drums because I’m a terrible drummer, but also I’m a terrible guitar player and had never sung before, really. So it was kind of like that anyway, where I was like, ‘I don’t really know what I’m doing. I’ll just fake it till people believe me anyway.’ I don’t know. When I first started out doing this role, it was really nerve-wracking and kind of scary but now I’ve really settled into it, and I’m really enjoying the writing process part of it. I’m not afraid to write lyrics anymore and I’m not afraid to sing and try to squeeze every emotion into a song I can. So I don’t know. It’s a natural little progression I guess. Do you feel confident on stage now? Do you enjoy that sort of atmosphere? “Sometimes it’s the best feeling in the world and sometimes it’s really embarrassing and scary or just weird, you know. There’s definitely times when I’ve wanted the whole damn show to be over, but those times, thank God, are few and far between. Normally I enjoy playing for as many people as are in front of us, you know?” Your beard has become something of a trademark for you. Describe what sort of stage it’s at right now? “Man, right now, it’s in ‘needs to get chopped off’ stage. I considered doing it this morning, actually. I think it’s time to start again, like start a new one. I tend to fuck with it too much and then it tends to get gnarly. I mean I comb it and wash it and condition it every day so it won’t look ratty, but it gets to the point where I think it needs a whole new fresh start.” So you’d go clean shaven and then start again? “I don’t know if I could do that. Especially with the amount of photos we have to take, the amount of people who have to see my fucking weird face all the time, I like to keep it as hidden as possible. But I feel like if I cut it then I can grow back an even bigger, healthier one. I know – it’s a dilemma. I don’t know what to do, but the stage right now is definitely clean but ratty at the bottom.”

Band of Horses are playing August 2nd and 3rd at Byron Bay for Splendour in the Grass. Then August 3rd at Billboard in Melbourne – tickets from Billboard or Moshtix, and August 5th in Sydney’s Metro.

The lovely lass from Adelaide (and New York) Krista Polvere is officially launching
her album Here Be Dragons at the Toff in Town in Melbourne tomorrow night (that’s
Wednesday May 28th, kids). Before she unleashes her creation on the world, we had
a little chat. What was the hardest thing about making the album? “The first
thing that comes to mind is that you are creating something that is so close to your
heart you get incredibly concerned that it won’t be come out the way you want.
You have an idea and vision. The trick is to find people that you musically are
compatible with and let them create as well. You don't want to stifle others creativity.
Just trust in the process and enjoy.” What’s the story behind the name Here
Be Dragons? “‘Here Be Dragons’ was a term used when the world was being
discovered by cartographers. On old maps you will see this saying in reference
to places unknown. I personally feel this title is a bit of a double entendre. The
record in the making was a little of the unknown, as well as in the obvious way.
Here Be Dragons are my thoughts and feelings in the songs and here they are.”
What do you hope people do while listening to your music? “I think people
will put the record on in the car, whilst walking, in their home reflecting. I hope it
gives people a warm feeling.” What inspires you? “I am inspired by other people’s
music and instruments and musicians. Love inspires me, and the world. Adventuring
and surprises. The beautiful world we have inspires me.” Describe your writing
process: are you a regimented writer or scribble as you go? “I am not
regimented. I often write lyrics and poetry that turn into a song somewhere later
down the track. Songs come in many ways. Some are laboured over and some
come out in a few minutes.” Describe the experience of playing live. “Playing
live is the most fun. Especially when you have a band with you. You’re on a complete
natural high and on stage on a voyage. To get all the listeners to feel it too.” What’s
next? “I will keep playing shows in Australia before I head off to tour the US later
this year. I hope to make another record in the next year and just keep doing
what I’m doing!

We physically can’t stop listening to Applause Cheer Boo Hiss by Canadian indie-rock trio Land of Talk. So we tracked down singer and guitarist Liz Powell and had a little chin-wag about her career.

What do you like best about the album? “What I like best about the album is that it was the first thing I've ever done from start to finish. Like, seriously. I never follow through with projects that really truly interest me. Before Applause Cheer Boo Hiss I could barely get through a novel regardless of whether or not I loved it. Or I would start dance lessons and quit three weeks in. Or I was always beginning songs and never finishing them. I think the only reason the record got made was because there were more people involved and invested in the outcome than just myself. Now I find it slightly easier to follow through with things.” What was it like recording on the cheap? “It was a necessity. And to be honest I didn't find $1,000 that cheap. (Still don't!) The monetary constraints obviously led to time constraints which led to intrinsic decision-making on everyone's parts, whether it be which takes to keep or how fast to play the song etc ... And a lot of the lyrics were written on the spot while recording the vocals.” What's your routine like on the road? Are you living the rockstar lifestyle or keeping up with beauty sleep? “If by ‘rockstar lifestyle’ you mean ‘having some beers and smoking a spliff most nights’, then yes, I am living the shit out of the rockstar LS. I can't comment on what the boys do with their time on the road because that's their private business. Just kidding. They're up for a beer or two each night but no Class-A shit or promiscuity. We've been pretty big on dignity these past couple of tours.” The album is pretty upbeat - do you think of yourself as a peppy/positive person? “Ha ha – yes and no. I go through bouts of darkness like most people I know. Some worse than others. I have been laughing a lot more lately (mainly at myself). I think the darkness comes out lyrically and the lyrics are virtually indiscernible so all you hear is the CRAZAY rock guitar, drums and bass which is usually quite a positive force. I tend to write guitar parts that make me happy and the lyrics inevitably exorcise the demons so the end result is bit of a bi-polar combo.” Do you collect anything? “I used to collect life-like mice dressed in costume (ballerina mouse, baseball mouse, old man reading paper mouse), but that was when I was really little. I guess now I collect lip gloss and old books with pretty covers.” What do your parents think of what you do? “They love what I do. I think they're more proud of me than they should be. Unless they're really good at faking pride. In which case I guess I have absolutely no idea how they think of me!” What ambitions do you have for Land of Talk? “It would be nice to keep making albums and touring (less than now, but enough to get to all the places that want to see us). I have a dream of winning a Juno in my home country of Canada. The Junos are like the Grammy Awards of the States. Feist took home three Junos this year, I think. And she performed ‘Sea Lion Woman’ like a fuckin' wizard that night, too. She's incredible. You know what? I like her career. If Land of Talk could do half of what Feist has accomplished I would be satisfied.” What's the dorkiest thing about you? “That last sentence.” What else should we know about you / the band / the album? “Not much except that WE LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE COME TO OUR SHOWS. It means a heck of a lot to us when people make the trek to come see us. As incentive we'll put the first five people who write to us on the guestlist for our next Australian shows!”

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