Chicago’s own Gypsyblood play a FREE show TONIGHT at the Empty Bottle (9:30pm, 1035 N. Western Ave.) in support of their newly released full length LP Cold In The Guestway. We recently caught up with Gypsyblood guitarist/vocalist Adam James, and got to ask him a few questions about the record. We’ve also got a copy of the new LP to giveaway to one lucky person, so keep reading to find out how to win!
The Vinyl District: The new record just came out last month on Sargent House, what’s the meaning behind the album’s title Cold In The Guestway?
Adam James: To us, it speaks more to color and tone. When everything has lost its meaning, you can only know how you feel. The viscerality of being in a place at a moment. Like an old soul who knows their being is true when everything is telling them otherwise. When reality has been proven to be the variable within society, we are here to tell you that your being is true and Cold in the Guestway.
Gypsyblood – Take Your Picture
TVD: How’d you get hooked up with Sargent House?
Adam: We’ve been in bands playing in and around Chicago for quite sometime and along the way we’ve gotten to know some remarkably talented people. Musicians, artists, vagabonds, mercenaries, hobos, and visionaries. In saying, we’re both pretty bad at self promotion, you just do what you love and the rest will come.
So Kyle was driving around giving one of the album mixes a car test, and ran into longtime friend Dave Davison of Maps and Atlases/Cast Spells. Dave liked what he heard and got a copy with which he sent over to Cathy and Marc at Sargent House and that was that.
The great thing about Sargent House though is that they are a genuine family. Before they make any moves on a band they spread it around the office to get everyone’s take, and if everyone’s jazzed they go with it. That kind of atmosphere has always appealed to us.
TVD: You recorded the album yourselves here in Chicago, in a building designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, how’d you find the space? Do you feel playing in a space with so much history brings something to the table?
Adam: It was an abandoned warehouse that got flipped into a shady practice space for bands. You get the vibe as soon as you walk in. There are no windows, so you go in at 8pm and leave with the sun-shining at 7am wondering what just happened. So to record in a place with such an ora around it, you tend to let yourself sway with whatever’s around. I think that is most evident on a track like “Dirty Thieves.”
TVD: There’s definitely a classic shoegaze vibe to the disc, can you tell us some of your musical influences?
Adam: What’s always bonded us has led to a more darkly pop sensibility with regard to content and tone. Bands like The Clean, The Fall, Velvet Underground, and Echo and the Bunnymen have all been points of commonality. But The Clean continue to be one of our staples with regard to catalogue, they just breeze through so many genres so well, at the end of the day that’s something that we’ve always aspired to.
Gypsyblood-My RKO Is MIA
TVD: Who are you listening to currently?
Adam: Currently the repeat button has consisted of the newest release from Australia’s UV-Race, drooling, dark catchy punk rock at it’s best; And a live bootleg from my boy at the Bowery Ballroom of Tennessee’s Those Darlins, country-fied hook-laden punk rock without being schticky. Soooooo Good.
TVD: I noticed you pressed some copies of the new LP on colored vinyl, are you guys record collectors yourselves?
Adam: Absolutely, We love the wax! It’s seriously a deep dark hole that you don’t regret ever falling into. And Chicago’s definitely got some contenders; Permanent Records, Logan Hardware, and Dusty Groove to name a few. But in every city we go to, we are always on the hunt. It seems to be another habit that we just can’t kick.
TVD: What’s next for Gypsyblood?
Adam: The first video from Cold In The Guestway, “Take Your Picture” should be out very soon along with some other goodies. Besides that. shows. shows. SHOWS.
Now, TO WIN YOUR FREE COPY of Cold In The Guestway on vinyl, just go to Gypsyblood’s Bandcamp site here, listen to some tracks off the record, then LET US KNOW YOUR FAVORITE TRACK IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW! Winner will be chosen at random from comments received by NOON on MAY 20th.
