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 06 July 2008 21:38 BST

Speck Mountain love the British fans' 'visceral' reactions

Friday, 11 Apr 2008 15:46
Speck Mountain - dreaming of a summer somewhere
After making the move from the so-called Brooklyn scene to the grittier climes of Chicago, psychedelic three-piece Speck Mountain have garnered more than their fair share of critical acclaim.

And with the influential Uncut magazine awarding their debut Summer Above four stars, the trio's path into the hearts of fans of navel-gazing rock seems inevitable.

inthenews.co.uk's Zephie Begolo spoke to Speck Mountain's Karl Briedrick about the truths behind the soundscapes.

Where does the name come from?

Speck is the first word in the Bret Easton Ellis book Glamorama, Mountain is the last. There are more poetic reasons for the name…but that is the short answer.

How did you guys meet? What's the history of the band?

Marie-Claire ran a Kraut rock fanclub on an internet networking site. I needed a singer for the band I had just started. She had cool hair and good taste. We had no idea she had such an amazing voice when we recruited her.

What are your musical influences?

Our most intense influences are Beach Boys, Staple Singers, and Spacemen 3.

You seem to be gathering quite a following in the US, what kind of reception have you been getting? Have you had positive UK feedback?

The response to the band in the US is very different than the UK. Frankly, people in the UK seem to have a more visceral reaction to our music. We have no idea why this is.

Will you be touring in the UK?

We are in the process of putting a tour together for the UK and Europe.

What's the best thing about playing live?

Getting totally lost in a song and snapping out of it because of the applause.

There seems to be a subtle blending of funk, folk and electronica in some of the tracks…
How do achieve your sound?

We're greatly influenced by all of these genres… it is natural for us to blend them.

Listening to the album it is so refreshing to hear a new take on a past sound; critics have described you as similar to the Velvet Underground... I hear the Doors, Mamas and the Papas as well.. where do you go from here? How do you plan to develop your sound?

Summer Above was a very innocent record. The songs came from a very simple place. They were our first songs and we took everything we had ever wanted to from our favorite bands. We have just finished our second record and some of the subtle influences are taken to more extreme places.

The 60s 'summer of love' vibe is almost inescapable when listening to this album. It evokes images of lying in green fields in a sunny haze... I can't wait for the summer as I think this will probably form part of its soundtrack! Is that what you set out to accomplish?

When we called the album Summer Above we imagined ourselves driving through grey skies and endless rain but none of it mattering because it was summer somewhere above us. The album is about hope in the midst of utter dissapointment.

Why did you choose to relocate to Chicago to make your music? Does the album owe anything to the city?

Relocating was a quality of life issue. I have no idea how musicians who aren't very rich live in New York. By living in Chicago we can live on menial jobs and playing music.

What message, if any, do you hope to promote through your music? Are you as political as your soulful predecessors?

We promote escapism no matter the political climate.

One of your songs is called Midnight Sun…what's the thought behind this song? Do you prefer clouds or stars?

It is a song about finally having the courage to run away from things in your life that are suffocating your soul. We prefer stars.

Can you give us an insight into some of your favourite lyrics from the album?
They speak for themselves.

What are the band's top three albums of all time?

Our top three albums that we can agree on as a group are:

1 - Spiritualized- Lazer Guided Melodies
2 - Staple Singers- Uncloudy Day
3 - Fleetwood Mac- Rumours

Describe yourselves (as a band) in five words

Depressive but hopeful burnt children

If you were a rock superhero, whose mission was to save the world from boring trashy music, whose powers would you have and why? (For example I would have Hendrix's guitar-playing, Patti Smith's lyrics and vocals, Pink Floyd's psychedelia, Manu Chao's bounciness and colour... etc)

Mavis Staples' voice - to keep away the demons
Spiritualized's drugs - to keep away the demons

Zephie BegoloEnd of story


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