22 August 2006 -

EXCLUSIVE Interview: Cities
Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com

The Chapel Hill, NC band Cities is touring the US in support of their debut CD Cities, which was released in April 2006. Bringing musical backgrounds that range from punk to classical, Cities has crafted a sound that is uniquely powerful; yet danceable.

The band's post-punk sound is driven by layers of guitars and the vocals of Josh Nowlan. With guitarist Robbie Mackey, drummer Joey Ingram and bassist Jeremy Paschall, Cities has drawn critical acclaim for being both a great American band and for sounding British.

Regardless of which side of the pond critics are most fond of, it's hard to mistake the glowing reviews the band has received.

Cities is in the midst of a North American tour, with upcoming shows Sept. 2 at The Cake Room in New York City and Sept. 6 at The Reservoir in Chapel Hill. For more information on the band, visit their Web site: www.citiesmusic.com or their MySpace page: www.myspace.com/citiesnc.

DeadJournalist.com recently conducted this exclusive interview with Cities' guitarist and vocalist Josh Nowlan.

Cities has received a good deal of critical acclaim and positive reviews of your debut full-length CD Cities. What impact has that feedback had on the band?

JN: It is nice to hear good things of course - and it's encouraging. But for the most part we just keep doing what we have always done, playing shows and writing.

The band had the opportunity to work with producer Brian Paulson on your debut CD. How did he shape and influence the band in the studio?

JN: We learned a lot from Brian and his expertise in the studio. But the album itself is pretty straight-forward, he did a great job capturing where we were at the time.

The band is releasing an EP, Variations, in October featuring remixes by, among others, Ladytron. What prompted the idea of a remix EP?

JN: It started as an idea for a free remix contest, which then blossomed into Variations. We sent messages to some of our favorite electronic artists to see if anyone was into the idea - and many of them were very responsive. We still held the remix contest and as a prize for the winner, Mike Westbrook, we put his remixed track on the EP.

The band had the opportunity to play the SXSW festival this year. How was the experience of performing there?

JN: It was tons of fun! We had the chance to play for bigger crowds on bigger stages than ever before.

You're in the midst of a national tour. How has it been thus far?

JN: It is going great, other than driving through the mid-west - which can be dangerously boring with nothing to look at or see for hours. Otherwise, we have played some good shows and met some very generous people who let us sleep on their floor.

What are the most important parts of your live shows?

JN: The energy and enthusiasm we put into the show is most important, it's not enough to just play the songs.

Is the band working on a new album?

JN: Yes, we are writing new material in preparation for the next album. Nothing has been planned yet, as we still have plenty of touring to do for this record. I suspect we will start recording the next record sometime next spring.

What's the first thing you'll do after getting home from this tour?

JN: Sleep!