Riding Shotgun With Snowden
Snowden are amazing. You heard me, amazing I tell you! These Atlantans have been putting out some of the best music of the past few years, without a doubt. A heady blend of hazy fuzz and powerful vocals, Snowden might just leave you gasping for air. In a good way, of course. They are one of those bands that has managed not to sound like anyone else. They also happen to be one of my favorite bands. Take a peek at how the good folks of Snowden feel about waking up on lawns, bad venue manners (shame, Miami, shame), and that extra special faux merch item (knickers!). And then go check them out strutting their stuff at Relative Theory Records, down aways in Norfolk, this Friday (April 28). [Ed. note: Snowden was one of the very first few bands to ever send BigYawn a CD, and for that, we really love them]
Touring is:
Chandler: necessary.
Corinne: rock n roll, baby.
Our first gig together was:
Chandler: My first show with Snowden was at Rothko in New York.
Corinne: at the 40 watt in Athens.
Dave: The very first show the original incarnation of the band played was at the infamous dive bar Lenny’s in Atlanta, August 2003.
Our favorite venue to play is:
Chandler: anywhere a lot of people show up.
Dave: Personally, I like The Earl and Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta. Mercury Lounge in New York is pretty cool too.
Hygiene on a tour is:
Chandler: essential.
Corinne: protocol.
Our favorite thing about touring is:
Dave: The pretty lights.
And the least favorite:
Dave: Eighteen wheelers.
The band member most likely to disappear after a show is:
Chandler: Corinne.
Dave: None of us are really magically inclined. I know an amazing card trick though.
The tour bus/van smells like:
Corinne: pimp juice.
Laundry is: a) washed regularly, b) washed irregularly, c) we go shopping a lot:
Dave: Check back with us after we’ve been out on some longer stints.
What's the most unusual item on your rider?
Dave: Like J-Lo, we require a white room with white flowers, white tables, white drapes, white candles and white couches… but we’ll settle for gas money and beer.
Who controls the music in the touring vehicle? And what are you listening to at the moment?
Chandler: Me and Dave mostly, I’m listening to Serena-Maneesh, For Those Who Know (Austin, TX), Broadcast, etc…
Dave: Satan controls the music, and he always plays Tenacious D.
Your new favorite watering hole after being on tour? And/or the best place to get greasy, hangover-curing food?
Chandler: Dunkin Donuts.
Dave: The Varsity in Atlanta, or Casino El Camino in Austin, has the grease covered. I’m not too picky about watering holes, just whatever has the cheapest drinks, coolest jukebox and pool tables.
Most amusing memory from your current or most recent tour?
Corinne: waking up on my friend's lawn at 4pm in the afternoon.
Dave: In Austin at SXSW, ordering a slice of pizza at this place on the street that had Slayer blaring from a large video screen, while right next to us a right wing Christian group was yelling through a megaphone that we were all sinning and going to burn in hell. It was a good slice.
Are there any bands you've played with that you'd like to tour with again? Or bands that you have yet to tour with that you'd like to?
Dave: We played a show in New York once with Asobi Seksu. I really dig their sound. There are so many cool bands I’d like to tour with. I wouldn’t know where to begin.
Please name the city you wouldn't ever play in again? Or, if not a particular city, which venue makes your skin crawl?
Dave: We had a pretty rough time of it at this place called Soho Lounge in Miami. They didn’t even pay us. Not one cent, no gas money, nothing.
Apart from the obvious cd, what's the merch item of yours you think people should shell out for?
Chandler: Our T-shirts, which Jordan screen-prints himself (for now at least).
Corinne: ROCKIN WET PANTIES.
Dave: Ditto on the panties.
What is most important to you about playing live?
Chandler: Completely killing it, as in playing convincingly… and having the audience feel they got their money’s worth.
Dave: Making sure the timing is right with the pyrotechnics, and having a decent sound guy.
How do you know when you've played an especially good show?
Chandler: You never really know. Sometimes you think you did and everyone you talk to says nothing about the show, then at times you think you were horrible and everyone says it was the best show they’ve seen yet (????).
Dave: When I have offered up my guitar in a fiery, lighter fluid induced, sacrifice onstage.
Have you been to the top of the Washington Monument?
Chandler: No.
Dave: Once, as a small child.
How's the album coming along?
Chandler: Waiting on artwork to get sussed out.
Dave: Almost done with the backwards subliminal messages.
You recently signed to Jade Tree. What made you want to sign with them?
Chandler: We wanted to start on an indie label, have creative control etc; They had just switched to Touch & Go for distribution, we saw eye to eye on how to get the music heard… and they have a good soccer team. :P
Dave: Definitely their soccer skills.
You're a very fan-friendly band. How important is it to you to have a good relationship with your public?
Chandler: Very, very important, I mean that’s what we’re here for, the fans. We’re entertainers. Fans are especially important at live shows, if they’re feeling it, we really feel it on stage and vice versa.
What would you like people to be saying about Snowden in 50 years?
Chandler: “They should have quit 30 years ago!” Nah… just joking, perhaps a “Man that record really stood the test of time.”
Please recite a line of poetry:
Chandler: I generally get annoyed by poetry, I do read though, currently reading Catch 22 and the Fountainhead.
Corinne: “angel headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection in the starry dynamo of the machinery of night…”
Dave: “I went to see your pictures... I spread them across the floor…
So this is where they are shown… Now they're probably saying to you,
If you keep it up you'll be born.”
And finally, it's BigYawn's round. What's your poison?
Chandler: Jägermeister. Espresso based drinks.
Corinne: Guinness of course...
For further Snowden appreciation, click over to www.snowden.info, or www.myspace.com/snowden. Go on, you know you want to.