Entrevista: thelastplaceyoulook!!!!!!!

thelastplaceyoulook is hot…and by hot I mean 9000 degrees-ready-to-spontaneously-combust-at-any-moment-making-brimstone-feel-like-ice HOT! These dudes had one hell of a year in 2009 and ended it by dominating the Texas Buzz Music Awards, snagging Best Alternative Band of the Year and both guitarists snagging Best Guitar honors. To top it all off, they are from my hometown (HOUSTONNNNNN!) so I’m uber stoked to bring this interview to you guys. I’m so proud of them for all of their success and can’t wait to see what 2010 holds for this talented bunch. How many times do I have to tell ya'll???? HOUSTON ROCKS!!!!!! POW!




WANLS: Tell me the name of your band, how it came about, if you ever went by another name and how you guys formed a band.

LPYL: thelastplaceyoulook. ( all one word because we like it that way ) Before thelastplaceyoulook formed, Justin Nava ( who only goes by "Nava" ) was putting together an acoustic project with a few friends. The bass player at the time was going though some lyrics of Nava's and stumbled upon "the last place you look" as a great name to begin the project.
Nava was in a funk band previous know as "Six West" with guitarist Richard Sherwood. After a few years, "Six West" had more member changes than you can count and finally faded out.
Richard and Nava were on a mission to put some music together and started the hunt for more "stable" band mates. Nava found Drummer Andy Moths at an Acoustic Mic Night at Helios playing guitar to Dashboard confessional covers. After a few nights of hanging out Andy confessed he had played drums in a band up in Milwaukee.
Nava's met bassist Kevin Pool through working at Starbucks. Kevin being in a band already called "Nadiri" introduced him to their guitar player whom after a trial show did not dig the music just yet.
Finally, Naridi's guitarist introduced the band to Derek Young, who had been in pop punk band "Mr. Castaway" that had recently disbanded only a few months prior.
Since then the founding members of "thelastplaceyoulook" has always been Nava, Richard, Andy, Kevin and Derek since 2003.


WANLS: Introduce me to the band members and whether they play/sing/etc.

LPYL: Justin Nava (Nava ) - Vocals
Kevin Pool - Bass/Vocals
Richard Sherwood - Guitar
Derek Young - Guitar
Andy Moths - Drums


WANLS: Throw your sets up! Where do you live and why do you love it?

LPYL: We love living in the van, because the smell is intoxicating...or toxic...either one.


WANLS: Do you guys identify with a particular genre?

LPYL: Rock with Indie influences


WANLS: What are your musical influences?

LPYL: Bill Cosby, Thrice, Taking Back Sunday, Mae, James Brown, Little Richard, Chasing Victory, The Used....anything good really.


WANLS: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

LPYL: We have a balance between pop sensibility and musical intelligence. Well thought out lyrics and driving rhythms create an original edgy sound. We will make your heart swoon before we rip it out and stomp on it.


WANLS: Do you have or are you signed to a record label?

LPYL: No labels, independent baby!


WANLS: What are some of your most memorable shows?

LPYL: We just finished up an epic tour with Universal national artist 10 Years!! One of the best experiences so far!


WANLS: Who writes your music?

LPYL: We all play a part in writing the music in the band. Often times Nava plays the biggest part in the writing because he brings in songs for the rest of the band to interpret. His lyrics and melodies can set the tone for how the songs are written. However the process is never the same each time. In the past a song has been created by just a simple guitar part.


WANLS: Tell me about the in-studio/music making process for your band.

LPYL: We recorded our last full length album with Will Hoffmann (former guitarist of Push Monkey ). He helped formalize our sound we have today. Before we had all types of genres floating in our songs and now with his help we have learned to keep the songs simple and memorable.


WANLS: What direction do you see the band going in 2010? Any specific plans?

LPYL: More Touring with national acts, recording a new demo of about 5 songs. Increasing our fan base in Texas and Louisiana. Maybe making the band our full time job? (cross fingers)


WANLS: Which do you prefer: studio time/creating new music or touring/live shows?

LPYL: I (Derek) can't speak for everyone in the band but....live shows are the biggest payoff!! You get to meet great people at shows that really connect with your music.


WANLS: Your fantasy show or tour line up?

LPYL: Shine Down, Glassjaw, The White Stripes and thelastplaceyoulook on a Brazilian Congo tour. Dope!


WANLS: Describe what it’s like to experience your live shows.

LPYL: There are a lot of dynamics in our songs and you have to be ready for that. We come out pistols blazing with big rock riffs and huge choruses. But we are not scarred to taking it down a notch for songs like "Band to Save Me". Be ready for a roller coaster of emotions!


WANLS: Fill in the blank: If it hadn't been for _______, we would have _________.

LPYL: If it hadn't been for our stubborn idea of brotherhood, we would have broke up by now.


WANLS: Do you have any new music being released soon?

LPYL: We are working on a 5 song EP we plan to record soon in 2010.


WANLS: Do you have any upcoming shows?

LPYL: Yes! In Houston we are playing Thee Armada's farewell show at Warehouse Live on Saturday January 16th. It is going to be a great line up!



WANLS: Are there videos to any of your songs?

LPYL: We recorded a new music video for our single "Don't Make it So Easy", YouTube it!

Sierra Says: Surprise! You can watch it right here on WANLS:)


WANLS: What's the #1 priority for your band right now?

LPYL: Make fans and meet more people!


WANLS: Plans to tour any time soon?

LPYL: We just jump off the 10 Years tour right after the holidays, but we might be doing something again in February or March but we can't talk about that just yet :)


WANLS: Where can we find you on the web?

LPYL: Official Website
MySpace
Purevolume
Facebook
Twitter
If you Google thelastplaceyoulook, you'll have three pages full of links to find us!


WANLS: How can we buy your music?

LPYL: iTunes, Amazon or CDBaby.net


WANLS: How can we contact you for booking?

LPYL: thelastplaceyoulooktx@yahoo.com


WANLS: Fill in the blank: People would never guess that ________________.

LPYL: People would never guess that we have a picture of Brittany Spears hanging up in our practice room.


WANLS: Best thing about being in your band?

LPYL: Having people/fans connect with the music we are playing.


WANLS: Fill in the blank: one day they're probably gonna name a ________ after our band.

LPYL: One day they're probably gonna name a desert island after our band.


WANLS: Last and most importantly, if you were stranded on a desert island with your bandmates, who would go cannibal first?

LPYL: On thelastplaceyoulook desert island...Nava would go cannibal first and Derek would be eaten first. Nava even now bites him occasionally. Nava says it is out of love, but Derek knows the truth.



First Photo by Taylor Gahm
All Others by Barry D.

Sierra Says: Thanks guys! Keep rockin...WANLS is behind you all the way!

Queens of Lego Land?

OK, this was just too cool not to share. Someone made a Lego video for Queens of the Stone Age's "Little Sister" track. Check it out:

100 Best Albums of the Decade

Check it out....Rolling Stone got with a bunch of today's "hottest" (that term is SOOOO relative...lol) artists to compile a list of the 100 Best Albums of the Decade. Pretty major, right? Here's the link to the list: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31248017/100_best_albums_of_the_decade/44

Radiohead
Outkast

Green Day, System of a Down, Kanye West,

Death Cab for Cutie

The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley and

TV on the Radio were all some of my faves that made that list, but I won't tell you which of their albums were listed or who was ranked what...you'll have to go see for yourself:) Be sure to come back to let me know what you think of their list. Hollaaaaaaaa!

OURstory: Dead Kennedys

For the love of all things punk, today's OURstory is dedicated to San Francisco, California based Dead Kennedys.In the late 70's/early 80's, the multi-ethnic rockers took America and the rest of the world by storm with their hard-hitting beats and lyrics that boldly poked fun at the political far-right and violence. In true revolutionary form, the band's first single, "California Über Alles" was a ballsy call-out of California's governor at the time. From then on, DK never let fans down and never abandoned their renegade stance.
They get mad respect for using their music to speak to a generation and for having the courage to always stand up for what they believed in, whether it was popular or not. DK toured the entire world throughout the 80's before finally playing their last show where it all began in San Francisco in 1986.


For more Dead Kennedys, check out their official website. In the meantime, here are a few videos to catch you up on what you've been missing:

Entrevista: Sabatta

Hellooooo! I apologize for the hiatus but I'm back now and I've got my very first interview from across the pond!!!!!!! I'm so excited to introduce you guys to Sabatta. They hail from the UK, London to be exact, and I'm more than pleased that frontman, Yinka, agreed to answer some questions for WANLS. Enough from me...I know what you came for, but at the end of the interview, be sure to step into the WANLS listening booth and check out 2 of Sabatta's entire albums.....for FREE, right here on WANLS....yeah, you're welcome:) Now reeeeeead!!!!


WANLS: Tell me the name of your band, how it came about, if you ever went by another name and how you guys formed a band.

YINKA: I formed Sabatta in early 2006 – we had different members – it started off as four piece – 2 guitars. Always was the same name but I’ve been solo before. The idea behind Sabatta is just to do rock n roll – but the Sabatta way – Raw!


WANLS: Introduce me to the band members and whether they play/sing/etc.

YINKA: Yinka - vocals, guitar, Hugo Chaves - bass and backing vocals, Nick Roberts - Drums

WANLS: Throw your sets up! Where do you live and why do you love it?

YINKA: We love living in the fast lane, because if you don't it won't be any better on the other side. (Oops – was I meant to say London?)

WANLS: Do you guys identify with a particular genre?

YINKA: Rock, I guess, but it's hard to say one because we've got such diverse influences – which leads us to your next question ;-)


WANLS: What are your musical influences?

YINKA: So many! I like Rock, metal, hip-Hop, Funk, Soul, Afrobeat, some pop, some grime but not necessarily in that order. Hugo likes Funk, Rock. Nick is in to several types of music and is in a few bands - one is folk, one is electronic, etc.

WANLS: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

YINKA: Acid Rock with a Hip-hop bounce, Hip-Rock or maybe just good music.


WANLS: Do you have or are you signed to a record label?

YINKA: Our first two albums have been put out on my label - Blackfriars Entertainment.

WANLS: What are some of your most memorable shows?

YINKA: Shunt and AfroPunk have probably the most memorable for me but I'd say for all of us it'd be the last Shunt how! Shunt is this amazing cavernous in London Bridge station which is on the London Underground system. It's closed down now so it's a piece of history but it was like a club you see in a movie that you wouldn't think existed but it does, it did - it was crazy in there!

WANLS: Who writes your music?

YINKA: I do. Of course Hugo and Nick lend their own inimitable personalities to what they play and we discuss arrangements and jam them out.


WANLS: Tell me about the in-studio/music making process for your band.

YINKA: Well I'll write a tune - I might bring the riffs to the rehearsal room or I might send the guys demo tracks by email (which I've been doing alot lately). We'll then jam it out in rehearsal and try and gig it - see what the response is and then we'll record the tunes once we've got a bunch done. We were in the studio on December 13th and we put down 6 tracks 4 of which were done like that and the other two we hadn't really jammed - I won't tell you which ones are which!

WANLS: What direction do you see the band going in 2010? Any specific plans?

YINKA: Good question. Yeah think the new songs I've written are more diverse and in a sense have a wide appeal. I've concentrated more on making songs than making genre music so it should be interesting to see how it's received!

WANLS: Which do you prefer: studio time/creating new music or touring/live shows?

YINKA: I think we all enjoy both but we'd also all like to do much more of the latter!

WANLS: Your fantasy show or tour line up?

YINKA: Damn! You got the hardest questions ever! Ok for me it's gonna be ACDC/Metallica/Lenny Kravitz/Living Colour/Sabatta.

WANLS: Describe what it’s like to experience your live shows.

YINKA: It's like being at a ritual of some kind and watching the priest/shamen/babalawo being possessed and sending the congregation into a trance as he surfs on the edge of the abyss! You won't forget it in a hurry! ;-)

WANLS: Fill in the blank: If it hadn’t been for ___, we would have ___.

YINKA: If it hadn't been for weed, we would have jumped off a bridge a long time ago.

WANLS: Do you have any new music being released soon?

YINKA: Yes in March we will be releasing Makes Me Feel Alive from the new as yet untitled album.

WANLS: Do you have any upcoming shows?

YINKA: Doing an acoustic show for balcony.tv on Feb 19. Next June we play 100 Club in London.


WANLS: Are there videos to any of your songs?

YINKA: There are a couple of good live videos up at the moment. We're shooting video this month.

WANLS: What's the #1 priority for your band right now?

YINKA: To tour as much as possible...across the country and the world.

WANLS: Plans to tour any time soon?

YINKA: Funny that that was the next question - see above.

WANLS: Where can we find you on the web?

YINKA: E'WHERE!!

Official Website
Twitter
MySpace
Facebook

WANLS: How can we buy your music?

YINKA: You can get it on Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby and directly from our website. You can also get it at our gigs.


WANLS: How can we contact you for booking?

YINKA: mail@sabatta.net

WANLS: Fill in the blank: People would never guess that ________________.

YINKA: People would never guess that I like Simon and Garfunkel.


WANLS: Best thing about being in your band?

YINKA: The groupies! Nah really it's just the chance to do something you love and see people enjoy it!


WANLS: Fill in the blank: One day they're probably gonna name a ________ after our band.

YINKA: One day they’re probably gonna name a natural disaster after our band.


WANLS: Last and most importantly, if you were stranded on a desert island with your bandmates, who would go cannibal first?

YINKA: Me, possibly.

Thanks to Sabatta and the good folks over at ReverbNation, you can check out 2 of Sabatta's albums right here for FREE! Just click the play button on the players below and your ears will instantly have the pleasure of rocking to the sounds of Sabatta.










Sierra Says: Sabatta, ROCKS...I look forward to bringing more Sabatta news to WANLS very soon. Thanks guys!