In the midst of big summer festival rumblings, we were able to grab conversations with The Weeks, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, and Big Gigantic to round out another edition of Festival Fast Talk.
The Weeks are a young alternative rock band who in their early twenties have already released three full length albums and two EPs. They’ll be re-releasing last year’s Gutter Gaunt Gangster EP later this year. I got a chance to lob a few questions at The Weeks after they visited Bonnaroo.
You guys aren’t far down the Tennessee trail from us here in Memphis, but I hear you’re transplants; how is the volunteer state treating you?
It’s a faster pace than in the Mississippi Delta, but we’re acclimating nicely. We knew from the outset that we weren’t trying to become the next big Nashville band. This town is so super saturated with music that to try to take it all over is too big of a mountain to climb. I can see how it would be overwhelming to think of that much competition just in the town you live. We’ve just used the scene here to draw inspiration from. Back home in Mississippi, you are your own barometer, but here you can find a new favorite band every week. Between Turbo Fruits, Pujol, D. Watusi, Diarrhea Planet, and a boatload of other awesome bands, Nashville is home to a lot of incredible artists right now.
How was Bonnaroo?
Fantastic. I’d been before, but it was the rest of the guys first time so it was nice to be able to get the first one under our belt in a year we weren’t playing. It really freed us up to accept any interview or acoustic performance that was offered. Our publicist pulled out all the stops for our passe,s and it really was about as much fun as we’ve ever had. It’s tough to top watching Charles Bradley, Bad Brains, and the Black Lips from ten feet away.
You guys toured a lot early in the year and then took some time off between May and June. Was this to be productive or for R&R?
We don’t really ever give ourselves time off. If we’re not touring, we’re writing. If we’re not writing, we’re touring. Outside of trips home to see family every few months we’re always working on something. I get stir crazy when the band is completely off for more than two weeks. I start thinking about concept records and collecting model airplanes and oil cans.
Entering into the music field a few years back, you all were very young. How has your view of the music business changed as you’ve gotten older and more experienced?
We’re realizing that everything is really the same, just on micro and macro levels. Even in the early days, there’s someone on publicity, distribution, production, etc.; it’s just done internally. We did a lot of those ourselves, so it’s nice to see how it’s done on a larger scale. We’ve assembled a great group of people around us to make sure everything that happens for us happens organically and in a way that represents us accurately. It’s always been about community to us, helping out the bands and people whom you respect. Karma is real in this business.
You guys are currently touring with Kingston Springs and Asherel. How’s being on the road with those guys?
We’re six days in, and it’s been a ball and a biscuit. It’s been a little strange being the oldest band on tour, especially for me. I’ve been the baby of the group forever, so it’s nice to be able to impart all the do’s and don’ts of being on the road that we can to those dudes. I think this is Asherel’s first real tour, and I remember those days too well. There’s a lot of trial and error on those early tours. That being said, none of them have needed too much of anyone’s help. Both of those bands are going to be around making great music for a long time.
We’re very happy to see your material on vinyl. Why was it important to you guys to have your music printed in this format?
I think it’s all in the tangibility and durability. I’ve got records that are over fifty years old that, save for a few crackles, still sound incredible. There’s nothing worse than buying a CD only to have it find the floorboard of your car and be completely destroyed in 5 minutes. Liner notes play a big part in that, too. There’s something about a 12” booklet that just doesn’t translate when it’s truncated to fit in a jewel case. Sound-wise, there’s just a sound there that’s lost on CD’s.
Is there any vinyl you treasure enough to run into a burning building to save?
There are a handful of those, yeah. My dad’s band, Locust Fork, put out a record called “Playin’ Possum” back in ’78 that I wouldn’t think twice about risking a little burn or two to save. Our manager showed me a guy named “Mississippi” Charles Bevel that put out one record on A&M in the ’70s that quite honestly may be my favorite record ever. It’s the real deal Holyfield. There’s a track called “Overheard” on it that would give “Like a Rolling Stone” a run for its money. Also, Memphis’ own Big Star’s “Sister Lovers” would have to be on my short list, if only for “O, Dana.”
Although June is coming to a close, the year is only half way over. What does the rest of 2012 hold for The Weeks?
We’re working on a little run in July with our friends Junior Astronomers from Charlotte. We haven’t known those dudes but for one year, and we’ve never gotten along so well with a group of dudes. After that, we’re recording our next full length, then supporting the re-release of Gutter Gaunt Gangster with some pretty heavy touring through the end of the year.
Be sure to check out The Weeks 12″ “Gutter Gaunt Gangster,” as well as catch them on one of their dates with Junior Astronomers in July.
Another band making the fest rounds is Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. The New York big band has hit up Summer Camp and Bonnaroo and are on their way to Gathering of the Vibes Music Festival in July and Catskill Chill Music Festival in September. We caught up with Arleigh Kincheloe (vocals) and her brother Jackson (harmonica).
You’ve got a full band of nine folks. How did that come about?
AK: I always knew I wanted a big band. I always knew I wanted horns. So right from the get-go—if you’re adding three- or four-piece horns, you’re already up to eight or nine people. It’s just the sound I knew I’d crave. Some of the guys we’ve been friends with for a long time; our cousin is a drummer and Jackson is my brother. We sort of hodge-podged it together with friends and acquaintances. It’s been the same eight people since the first rehearsal… So we got lucky with personalities working out well!
JK: The big band idea also comes from our parent’s band–their party/wedding band. When we were growing up in upstate New York, they had a big fun time, and I think a lot of that rubbed off on us.
Having a big band that’s been together since Day One sounds awesome. How does the song writing process go about with such a large group?
AK: I’m the principle songwriter, I’ll bring an idea or song to the guys, and we all work it out. The horns write their horn lines, the rhythm section gets their groove. The idea or notion I have is [fleshed out]. It comes really naturally with this group of people. Nobody has an ego—we kinda go in there and let the creative juices flow. Jackson and I have worked on lyrics to a couple of tunes together as well.
Did the recording process differ from the first record to the second record?
AK: The recording processes were completely opposite. The first album was done in one night; it was a twelve hour session that we just banged out. It’s more of a live cut with no real overdubs. This new record we did over the course of three months while we were on and off from the road. It was nice because we got to take a break from the studio, go out, and come back to it.
JK: We’d go out and play some songs. If we’d change them a little bit in the studio then we’d play ’em out, come back, and see how they vibed.
Is the change in the recording process evident in the second record?
AK: There’s a lot more going on in the second record.
JK: More depth. We had more time and a great producer in Brian Bender.
Where did you guys record it at?
AK: Mother Brain Studios
How was being in the studio?
AK: Brian Bender was always a sort-of friend of ours who we always wanted to work with, and he’s done some really amazing stuff. We got lucky that he was a friend, there was such a family vibe. Having his ideas in the mix changed everything; it made the recording more dynamic. I think the biggest change between this album and the last is that it’s more dynamic.
What’s coming up for you guys?
AK: We’re going to be touring til the end of the year. Playing a few festivals.
Which festivals?
Mountain Jam, Telluride Jazz Fest, and a few more. It’s been great. Between that, we’ve been doing a ton of club dates. We’re also doing Tour De Fat, which is put on by New Belgium.
Sounds great! Do yourself a favor and listen to Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds’ new album Pound the Dirt. You can catch the extended ensemble at Mountain Jam, Telluride Jazz Fest, Catskill Chill Music Festival, or on a string of dates throughout the remainder of summer and well into the fall.
Electronic dance music has arguably benefited more from festivals in the past five years than any other genre. Acts like Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Girl Talk, etc., have exploded and flourished in the context of multiple day music-a-thons. One band whose name personifies their performance is one of the best examples of a band who has taken over the festival scene, Big Gigantic. I got to sit down and chat with Dominic Lalli (producer/saxophone) and Jeremy Salken (drums).
I’ve been fortunate to see you guys a few times now—you have a very elaborate light show. How important is the visual aspect of the show to you guys?
JS: We spend a lot of time thinking about how to create the whole experience. Not just music, but the visuals as well. With our band name we try to figure out how to convey that visually any way that we can.
Many electronic acts have a bad rap for getting up on stage and just pressing space bar, whereas you two are very active as musicians on stage. Where did this come about?
DL: We want to do a take on something between a dj thing and a live band. Something right in the middle with not too much of either element, so we’re able to do what we want. We can do something harder or do something more musical—it’s pretty flexible.
You played Waka and Bonnaroo and are scheduled for a handful of large festivals throughout the remainder of the year. What is the importance of festivals to Big Gigantic?
JS: The festival scene is a giant party. It’s our favorite way of getting in front of new people. The energy of festivals is always through the roof. Everybody is excited to be there; everybody is bouncing around to different stages. It’s a really cool way to showcase different acts.
DL: The festival scene is rooted more in jam band music. Now because of the electronic scene (Ultra, etc.) meshing with the jam scene, it’s making a sort of mix. You can’t tell where you’re at. Are we in Miami? Are we in Tennessee? I think that’s us as well. How the EDM stuff is becoming more mainstream… It’s good for anyone in our genre.
I like how you guys are able to blend the pseudo dissonance of dubstep wobbles with the melody-centric sax solos. How does this come about?
DL: There’s a certain range where it really “hits.” A few key centers that really work well. E-Ab really hits. I usually stay in that range. But really, it doesn’t matter—it’s whatever sounds best for the song.
You can catch Big Gigantic at Outside Lands or Forecastle, but if you’re trying to catch Big Gigantic in all of their glory, save up your money and go to their huge show Rowdytown at Red Rocks on September 29th.
