5 Questions With:: Kins [Bumbershoot Edition]

Interview conducted by Kristen Schell.

Serendipity brought them together and creativity has made them flourish. Kins are an indie-rock band based in the UK. Alex Knight and Thomas Savage met in Australia while their previous bands were on tour. Alex moved to England where they found the remaining two members of the band. We chatted about making mixed tapes and their creative process. While I only spoke with two of the four they were a pleasure to converse with.

Their set [at Bumbershoot] was a masterful blend of both high and low energy songs. Heads were bobbing and hands were clapping. The music was outstanding live, which is always a plus for any bands.

Are there going to be any new songs as teasers from your upcoming album?

 

“Seattle’s going to hear the first live version of one of songs on the next record,” said drummer, Alex.

Where do have you been spending the majority of time touring/playing?

“Every time we leave North America it’s always too soon, I’m never ready to leave”

How do you go about creating new music?

“Mostly me [Thomas Savage] noodling around and the live versions are adapted so they are more exciting. There are no rules, especially being in bands before. We aren’t concerned about image because we just try to have no boundaries.”

Tell me a little bit about your album artwork? What made you select the image of the ape carrying the dog?

“It’s definitely related to our personalities.  It’s a two species interacting that clearly wouldn’t happen.”

What are your plans for the future?

“The huge focus is this second record… longevity is the plan, to build a catalog and sustain a career making music” 

After our interview, Kins noted how Americans are “peachy about life,“ at least when it comes to music. I guess we can say that both Kins and Lucy Out Loud love, share, and get excited about new music!

5 Questions With:: Gregory Alan Isakov [Bumbershoot Edition]

Interview conducted by Kristen Schell.

Gregory Alan Isakov is both humble and hilarious; this is a rare find and indeed a treat to speak with. He is a creative visionary combining both his experiences and craft of story telling into his music. There is a richness that cannot be mimicked in his vocals and the fluid harmonies that guide you through the story often places you somewhere unexpected. 

The day after his performance at Bumbershoot, I was able to chat with him about his his sound, how his performance went, and what we can expect next from him!  

How was bumbershoot?

 

“I never know what to expect with festivals, it was really exciting”

I like to start interviews with a brief origins type story, can you tell me how you began making music and when you decided it was a career?

“I’ve always played music for myself and it became like eating dinner just a part of my day. I went to school for horticulture and played for myself mostly. I began booking random shows and it started having a mind of its own”

“Second Chances”, is my favorite from your last album Weatherman, could you tell me a little bit about that track and how it came to be?

“That song totally was going to ruin my life we had like sixteen versions. I wrote that song with my little brother. That’s so nice to hear… you could have like two records of versions of that song.”

Do you feel your sound has changed since the start of your music career? I’m noticing a newfound richness in your vocals?

“For me everything feels so different. It’s kind of hard to get away from yourself. We did a lot of it on tape, which we haven’t really done before.”

What’re your plans for the future, more albums, any plans for collaborations in the future?

“Yeah, I have friends all over we try to hangout and work on things together. It’s one of my favorite things.”

If you have some free time on your hands, please, please, please take the time to listen to him and his newest album “The Weatherman.“ It is by far his most powerful and moving album. His talent will carry him through far beyond three albums and we cannot wait to see what else he has in store.

5 Questions With:: The Weather (Previously known as Campfire OK) [Bumbershoot Edition]

Interview conducted by Kristen Schell.

This band is definitely going places and we had the chance to chat with the mastermind behind The Weather/Campfire OK, Mychal Cohen, a cool easy-going fellow.

They all met sporadically, slowly piecing together their sound. The band (who performed as Campfire OK) played their second Bumbershoot since coming together in 2010. Their performance was AMAZING, both old and new songs (mostly new from their recently released album “Infinite Loop”). 

Campfire OK, now going by the name The Weather, knows how to move a crowd and at Bumbershoot they blew the lid off of my expectations! Excitement for the band, they are changing their sound and also their name, let me add in their new stuff is beyond incredible!

What are your plans for the future?

“That’s a funny question because it’s not necessarily up to us. We’d love to play at more festivals and we’d love to travel a lot more. All we can do is make music and be kind to the people who are on our team, and hope people will receive it well.”

Anyone you’re looking forward to hearing at Bumbershoot?

“We’re looking forward to hearing Foster the people, Elvis Costello, and of course, Wu Tang Clan”

How would you describe your sound?

“Our new music has less folk, we are moving toward a more energetic electric feel. Still remaining true to our style, much more developed”

Can we expect any collaborations or touring in the near future?

“It’s definitely a dream of ours to tour with Foster the People, if it does it does and if it doesn’t that’s ok. We’ll just keep making music”

What is a must have for living in Seattle?

“Coffee!”