Q&A
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The Haim sisters on their favorite show, touring with their parents and the L.A. bar circuit
Haim on a hotel bed. Courtesy. In 2013, Haim were my golden goose. I’d been trying to get an interview since the release of their Forever EP. I had a feeling they would eventually become successful and wanted to get my foot in the door early. At first I…
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Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff continues to find inspiration in his past
Jack Antonoff of Bleachers, courtesy. Jack Antonoff has written songs that have dealt with the death of his sister, and how her death impacted his life, for most of his musical career. The 30-year-old fun. guitarist was 18 when his sister Sarah died of cancer. “I wrote about it…
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Artists with Bay Area ties reflect on Outside Lands
Nicki Bluhm performs at the 2014 Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. I interviewed all but one of the artists with direct local connections to the Bay Area for a story on the Outside Lands Music Festival, which you can read here. The result was a magazine-length-worthy piece,…
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Former Port O’Brien frontman Van Pierszalowski keeps iron grip on WATERS
Van Pierszalowski (center) and WATERS, courtesy. Former indie-folk band Port O’Brien frontman Van Pierszalowski has been busy regrouping — and recovering from a turbulent few years. WATERS, Cathedrals 8 p.m. Thursday, July 10 The Chapel Tickets: $15. As 2012 crawled to a close, the San Francisco musician admittedly was…
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Q&A: Nick Waterhouse can’t afford San Francisco
Nick Waterhouse, courtesy. The thing you notice foremost about Nick Waterhouse in an interview is how carefully he chooses his words. He’s direct, and there are very few tangental stories with the possibility of confusing you. When we spoke in late May, Waterhouse spoke slowly, clearly and thoughtfully about…
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Q&A: Wye Oak will adapt or die trying
Wye Oak, courtesy. It takes a certain strength for a musician to publicly say that she had lost a skill like songwriting, but that is the position Wye Oak‘s Jenn Wasner found herself in as she and Andy Stack tried to record a follow-up to 2011’s Civilian. Wasner spoke…
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Q&A: Tommy and the High Pilots talk love for Santa Barbara, baseball
Tommy and the High Pilots, courtesy. As a teen growing up in Santa Barbara, Tommy Cantillon was upset when the band he led for five years fell apart. While he was willing to go as long as it took to turn his hobby into a career, his bandmates at…
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Rapper/wordsmith Watsky the first to raise his hand
George Watsky is not a household name like, say Macklemore, but that may begin to change following his performance at the Outside Lands Music Festival in his native San Francisco. After all, Macklemore was a relative unknown when he took the festival stage three summers ago. I spoke to…
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Bay Area’s Finish Ticket doesn’t blame Live 105 for dropping out of school
Finish Ticket. Courtesy. Bay Area pop quintet Finish Ticket was spending one of a handful of precious days at home— the band has been touring nonstop over the past year. Guitarist Alex DiDonato (a founding member), as well as drummer Gabe Stein and keyboardist Nick Stein were happy to share.…
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Interview: NONONO say yes to doing it on their own terms
NONONO, courtesy. Despite the success of their infectious first single, “Pumping Blood,” and a debut album slotted for a summer release in the United States, NONONO singer Stina Wäppling is already thinking of what to do with her life after her music career runs its course. Twenty One Pilots, NONONO,…
