Interview: THe BAcksliders
THe BAcksliders tap into a wild tradition of Texas rock n roll, mixing garage rock and girl group pop into a manic, melodic ride. Their new album, You're Welcome will be out on June 3rd. I recently had a chance to get a bit of the inside scoop on the band from Chris and Jason Bonner.
RnRnMN: You're Welcome is your second album. How was making this album different than the first one?
Chris: With the first album we were just kinda finding our way. The songs were all over the place. It was made up of a lot of songs Kim,Jason(my brother and new bass player), and I had before hand. With the new album we have found more of our own sound.
RnRnMN: The new album is self-released. What are the challenges faced in releasing an album on your own? What are the benefits?
Chris: Their are many challenges in releasing albums yourself. The first of which is the money. It is always twice as expensive as you think. The other major challenge is making sure everyone involved is doing their job. The most important benefit is quality control.
RnRnMN: Once the album is out, is there a tour planned? If so, what areas do you plan to hit?
Chris: We tour constantly. Our goal is to play 300 days a year, so we will be coming to a town near you soon!
RnRnMN: What are your shows like? What kind of crowd do you typically attract?
Chris: Our shows are at the center of what we do. THe BAcksliders are like a sweaty juggernaut that doesn't ease up until last call. Our crowd varies, generally people who like rock and roll and wanna get effed up.
RnRnMN: Texas has a wild musical tradition. How do the BAcksliders fit into that?
Jason: Texas has a tradition of musical outsiders much like that of Memphis, where Chris and I are from. Doug Sahm, Willie Nelson, etc.... Those guys reinvented the musical landscape mostly by just remembering "the song". Staying true to a well written tune. That what's missing from a lot of music today and what it is I believe THe BAcksliders are doing.
RnRnMN: Do you feel that each of you brings a unique influence to the band or is it your common influences that create your sound?
Chris: We are mostly into the same sort of stuff but above all our respect for song craft creates our sound.
RnRnMN: What do you see as your non-musical influences?
Chris: Adversity.
RnRnMN: Do you expect to "make it" or is success a less measurable thing for you?
Chris: In my mind we have already made it. We just want to produce more work and tour more often.
RnRnMN: Pick your favorite from each pair:
1. Beatles versus Stones
2. The Ronettes versus the Shangri-Las
3. Big Star versus the Replacements
4. MC5 versus the Stooges
5. White Stripes versus Black Keys
Chris:
1. The Beatles ( quitting while your ahead)
2. The Ronettes ( Be My Baby, I mean come on)
3. Big Star ( ain't no one gonna turn us 'round)
4. MC5 ( Kick out the Jams M****RF*****S)
5. White Stripes
Thanks to Chris and Jason for the interview. Check out You're Welcome on June 3rd! See THe BAcksliders' site for details.
Website
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posted by bob_vinyl at 7:04 AM
4 Comments:
They're not bad!
Just out of curiosity, how do you do your interviews? Do you actually talk to them, or by email or something?
ARRRRGGGHH. I hate it when bands say stuff like "The most important benefit is quality control."
It's fine if that statement comes out of my mouth, because I'm one of those douchebags who discusses cost-benefit analysis and process improvement all day long. But I don't listen to rock music so I can be taken back to a fucking boardroom. I listen to rock music because it is the most powerful link I've found to passion and excitement and joy.
And yes, I understand rock music is a business. Yes, it takes a good business head to play 300 dates a year as a relatively unknown band. Yes, there are a handful of rock musicians who are inspiring businesspeople (hello, Ian Mackay and Ani DiFranco).
But for crying out loud, keep some fucking mystique in what you do! Next you're gonna talk about how using Six Sigma methodologies really helps you write better choruses.
I have no interest in listening to this album now. It's a shame, because it might be great. I'd rather listen to Big Star, because I'm pretty sure Alex Chilton never worried about the benefits of quality control.
(Sorry for the swearing, Bobbo, but this hit a nerve.)
Thats right.. And thats why The Big Star albums with less Chris Bell mostly suck!
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