Candle Power with Rat Columns - An Interview

Eis que novamente a Austrália aterriza nas páginas do TBTCI, desta vez, representados pelos indie rockers, Rat Columns.

Indie rockers à antiga, diga-se de passagem, ouvi-los é como entrar numa capsula do tempo e cair de cabeça na Escócia nos idos dos 80´s, tal é a conexão dos caras, com o Pastels.

A Class of 86 é a temática central da música dos caras, seja nos singles e EPS, ou em seus dois deliciosos álbuns, "Candle Power" o mais recente e "Leaf" de 2013, junto a isso um toque da escola Pavement de produção sonora e você terá a receita musical do Rat Columns.

Vicia viu, e vicia pacas.

***** Interview with Rat Columns *****

Q. When did Rat Columns start? Tell us about the history...
Rat Columns started with just me in Perth, Western Australia way back in time in the late 2000's. I moved to San Francisco and we expanded into a full band, and since then I've moved around between Australia and America, and a bunch of amazing people have played in the band and a lot of them are still in the mix....right now it's me, Max, Dylan, Amber, Louis, James...but not all at the same time...right now we are based in New York City.

Q: Who are your influences?
When I was an impressionable young person, my first contact with the rock'n'roll bug was seeing Sonic Youth on the 'Washing Machine' tour on holidays in Singapore. It totally blew my mind. My early listening habits were in the indie rock zone, just the classics, like Pavement, Dinosaur Jr etc. Punk music was my entry point into being part of a music scene and playing live...most of my early bands were punk things, inspired by Misfits, Sex Pistols, a random 'CBGB's' compilation, verging on hardcore though we didn't really know what that was. The other main influence that hit me hard is the sorta Manchester/UK axis of New Order/Smiths/Cure. I love all kinds of obscure stuff now but these are things that hit me when I didn't know anything, which is the important time, I think.

Q. Make a list of 5 albuns of all time…
Well this is kind of a random thing;
Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
Static Age - The Misfits
Clube Da Esquina - Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges
BCD1 Compilation - Basic Channel
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Pavement

Q. How do you feel playing live?
Typically dread, followed by confusion, followed (hopefully) by a sweet form of relief.

Q. How do you describe Rat Columns sounds?
I'd say that we wander between post-punk and jangle-pop in some kind of grey area.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
I've been recording myself for a long time, with mixed results. I'm getting better at it now, I think. I like to improvise things in the studio, which is probably because I am usually quite unprepared when I start, and to have the time to do that kind of thing, I need to record it myself, or get a large chunk of money from someone, which hasn't ever happened, ha. These days I always get my engineer buddy Mikey Young to mix it, as I have realized that I don't really have a methodical mind for mixing. I regret mixing some of my earlier stuff myself!

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
I like Pappy from Australia and New Rose, Dark Tea, Hoops and Kaleidoscope from the USA.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
I'm not sure, I never really do cover songs. I wouldn't want to wreck somebody's song!

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Musically, record the next Rat Columns LP, finish the next Liberation LP, release the third David West record "Cherry On Willow" in the Autumn or next Spring...play more shows. Personally, go to the beach more...

Q: Any parting words?
Thank you and "STRENGTH TO THE UNDERGROUND!!!"
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Thanks

https://soundcloud.com/upset-the-rhythm/rat-columns-she-loves-the-rain
https://ratcolumnsband.bandcamp.com