Sunday 17 April 2011

Math and Physics Club vs Very Truly Yours

To celebrate the fact that Math and Physics Club and Very Truly Yours are playing a show or me in Nottingham, and then the VERY NEXT DAY it's the start of Indietracks, I thought I'd do a short interview with Charles and Lisle from the bands. There's some sad news hidden in here. Don't say I didn't warn you...

So are you guys fans of each other's bands?
 
Lisle: Yes, actually! I remember being sold on the group after hearing "Weekends Away" on the Matinée website, way back when the very first EP came out. Shortly there after I think I put that very song on a mix-tape for Kristine, which got her started.
 
Charles: Definitely! I remember coming across an article about their trip from Chicago to the NYC Popfest a couple years ago and feeling an instant kinship with them.

Have you ever played together before?


Lisle: No, but we're excited. We've had a lot of fortunate opportunities in Very Truly Yours to play with some bands that we've long admired...and certainly this is among those. I'm not sure how we got to be so lucky as to be a part of this lovely indie-pop scene, but we're delighted to be here. It's quite surreal.

Charles: I always figured we’d look them up if we ever played in Chicago. Who knew we’d end up in the UK together first?

Do you feel some kind of affinity being from such a huge country, and yet being bound by a similar kind of pop music?

Lisle: We've had really great times in the past playing and hanging out with other US-based pop bands from around the country like Afternoon Naps, One Happy Island, and The Tartans. The similar music we make seems to be informed by similar interests (music and otherwise), so there's always lots to talk about. So Charles: do you...like....stuff? *crickets*
 
Charles: Yeah, it always feels refreshing to play with other bands that get where you’re coming from. For such a large country, I think there are remarkably few bands here that we really identify with musically. We gotta stick together!

How did you both hear that you were playing Indietracks? What was the process?
Lisle: Kristine actually set everything up for us by using some manner of magic. She was the one that told me we were selected. She was quite giddy at the time and couldn't stop laughing! I know we went through the official "submission process" so that might have been an ingredient in the magic.
 
Charles: We’ve actually been working up to this trip for a couple years now. We can see the end in sight for the band, and playing in the UK has always been on our list of goals. Last year we had a chance meeting with Stuart Mackay, one of the festival organizers, at the San Francisco Popfest and he asked if we’ve thought of coming to the UK. I was like, “Yeah, in fact, we’re hoping to come over next summer and see if we can get on at Indietracks.” Mind you, I had no idea who he was at the time, so it was one of those rare moments of perfect timing. Of course keeping it quiet for so long nearly killed me.   

Is this your first time playing in the UK?

Lisle: As Very Truly Yours, yes this is our first time out of the USA. Although, technically, I lived in Harrow for a semester back in 2003, and once did a solo Fireflies show at my school's on-campus bar where there was an "acoustic night" of some frequency. I had struck up a friendship with Emma-Lee Moss (aka Emmy the Great) after seeing her play there in a Moldy Peaches-esque duo and she was kind enough to get me in touch with the organizers. Now she's quite famous it seems!


That diversion aside, the band has actually been quite impressed with how organised and simple everything has been as far as getting shows lined up. Booking in the US is much more difficult, time consuming and guilt-laden. Charles here really pointed us in all the right directions, so thanks for that!
Charles: Happy to help! I have to agree with Lisle. It took me about a week to line up a run of shows in the UK. That would never happen in the US. There’s such a great network of promoters to work with over there. This will be our first, and likely only, trip to the UK, so let us know if you have requests!

What are you looking forward to most?
 
Lisle: Probably the camaraderie: seeing old friends and meeting new ones. *high five!* It's quite rare for such a scattered group to all be together in one spot..and this particular spot looks like it's going to be quite a picture-esque one. On a personal note, I'm going to be bringing back whatever the legal limit is of Haribo Star Mix. Kids: it's the single greatest way you can rot your teeth.
 
Charles: Some of my favorite moments with the band have been traveling together on the rare occasions we leave Seattle. I’m really looking forward to hanging out with my bandmates and seeing the countryside. I’ve never been to the UK. I’ll be nervous about playing the actual shows, but I love getting to see and meet the other bands, and talk with fans. Most of all, I’m looking forward to parking myself on the lawn at Indietracks and soaking it all in for a few days. It will be a rare treat. Oh, and our guitar player James is going to introduce me to proper fish and chips! 

And who would headline the three days of your dream Indietracks?

Lisle: I'll be somewhat realistic: Field Mice/Trembling Blue Stars, Legends/Acid House Kings/Club 8, and maybe some kind of J-Pop showcase culminating with Shonen Knife? Kristine also has been gunning for an Aislers Set reunion for several years now, so it'd be nice to see that happen.
 
Charles: Oooh, Aislers Set, yes! I’d also love to see Jens Lekman and Teenage Fanclub. I’m actually still holding out hope for a late Acid House Kings announcement for this year.

What British stereotype are you going to lie about to your friends when you get back?
 
Lisle: "I keep adding superfluous u's to all of my words now, and I've stopped using "z" altogether!"

Charles: I’m looking forward to introducing all my friends to cool British slang like “what-ho” and “spiffing.”


2 comments:

Mr. Edinburgh said...

I love both these bands. I especially love the names of the bands. Very creative.

Rizky said...

it's cool