The Long Winters
John Answers My Questions
1.how did the band form?
I made the first Long Winters record as a project with a couple of friends.
The Barsuk record label heard the finished product and wanted to put it out
and they told me I’d better find a band. So I called some old friends and
now, miraculously, we’re still together two years later.
2.what were your major influnces?
The usual Beatles and Stones. I was really into early British heavy metal,
Priest, Sabbath, Maiden, etc. when I was in high school, and I listen mostly
to oldies radio now, but my biggest influences have to be some of the
Seattle bands that came right before me, like Built to Spill, Death Cab for
Cutie, and Harvey Danger. They showed me the way.
3.if you could have a three band bill who would they be?
Built to Spill, Death Cab for Cutie and the Long Winters. You had to see
that coming. Harvey Danger broke up.
4. what music do you class yourselves as?
Interesting question. The term ‘indie rock’ is meaningless in terms of
describing sound. ‘Indie’ refers to the business end of things. I think we
play rock music.
5. where do you think you will be in 10 years?
I want to be able to play music and earn enough money to buy a little house
somewhere. That’ll probably take me at least ten years.
6. what has been your best gig you have played so far?
They keep getting better. The tour we did with Nada Surf was fun every
night. We played Pittsburgh when I was really sick and I spent most of the
show just talking really slowly and deadpan about the history of the city of
Pittsburgh and I thought I was hysterical, so that show was a highlight for
me. My bandmates all thought it sucked, though.
7. what made you want to go out and play music?
I liked playing the guitar alone, mostly, for many years. The process of
turning my acoustic guitar songs into band songs and ‘going out’ to play
music took a long time. But playing electric rock beats working in a bank.
8. what your fav type of beer?
I had to quit drinking beer around the time that the little gnomes that were
following me everywhere stopped being so friendly. Eight years ago.
9. who would most like to record a song with?
I’d love Johnny Cash to record one of my songs. But right now I’d love to
record with just about anybody. I guess Neil Young’s right up there.
10. any chance of coming down under to play?
We’re planning on touring Australia soon, just as soon as we find a good
record label down there that likes pop. We get some intriguing emails, but
no one has fronted the cash yet.
thanks for your time any last words
If you like the Long Winters and want us to come rock out and eat
dingo-babies, (or whatever), then make some noise down there. And visit us
at thelongwinters.com
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