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Locksley
EXCLUSIVE Interview: Locksley
Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com
03.31.07
The Brooklyn-based (by way of Madison, WI) band Locksley is finding its way on to a lot of music fans' "have you heard this band" list. The band's ability to create what they call "pop songs in a garage band style" has created quite the buzz in the North American music scene.
Having had their songs used in two Payless Shoes commercial, one Cingular commercial, a video for the Starz movie channel and an MTV show has allowed the band the ability to stay independent - while pushing their profile much higher.
The band's DIY attitude and commercial exposure has been rewarded with a number of accolades from the music media. They were named as one of the 25 Best Bands on MySpace by Rolling Stone, one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know by Alternative Press, had an eight page spread in Elle and was named a break-out band by Spin.
Locksley released the LP Don't Make Me Wait in January 2007 and the band's video for "Why Not Me?" is currently in rotation on MTVu. Locksley is currently on a North American tour, with dates and locations available on on the band's Web site.
For more information on Locksley, visit their Web site: www.bandoflocksley.com or their MySpace page: www.myspace.com/locksley.
DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Locksley.
How was SXSW this year? How did your shows go?
Locksley: It was great. This was the first year we were part of SXSW proper and it was fantastic going out to shows and bumping into people we've met all over the country. It was exhausting because we played about seven shows, but it's all worth it.
The band achieved a great deal of success, despite not being signed to a major label. What do you credit for this for this success?
Locksley: We've been lucky to have met people who have really liked our music and are in the position to put it out there. Being on MTV and national ads can raise your profile pretty quickly. We also did a lot of DIY promotion in New York when we first moved from Wisconsin. Between passing out CD's at shows and in parks we had about 20,000 in circulation within two years
How did having your songs featured on national television commercials impact the band?
Locksley: The exposure helped raise our profile within "the industry" which opens up a lot of opportunities, but most importantly, we made some money which allowed us to remain autonomous.
The band's foursome of Kai Kennedy, Jesse Laz-Hirsch, Aaron Collins and Sam Bair site the musical influence of British Invasion bands like the Beatles and the Kinks and more modern bands like the Libertines, the Strokes and Kings of Leon in their sound. |
What can an audience expect from a Locksley live performance?
Locksley: High energy and open arms - we're not an exclusive band.
Of the artists you've shared the stage with, who have been your favorites?
Locksley: The Rapture, Hard Lessons and Scissors for Lefty - with We Are Scientists being a unanimous least favorite.
The most bizarre thing that happen on your last tour was ... ?
Locksley: A guy came up onstage at the end of our last show in Austin. Claiming to be the club owner, he told us we only had ten minutes left and that he wanted to make an announcement. He made no announcement but instead stumbled around the stage for two more songs. When security grabbed him to come off stage he told them that he owned us. We heard that right afterwards he got the EMTs called because he got his face split open ... by some guys fist.
Who were you listening to in 1997?
Kai: Green Day, Weezer, Wu Tang
Aaron: Green Day, Boyz II Men, Michael Jackson, Nirvana
Sam: Propagandi, NOFX, Rancid, Bad Religion, Drop Kick Murphys, mxpx, Sunny Day Real Estate, Little Blue Crunchy Things, Green Day
Jesse: Oldies radio, Woody Guthrie, Rogers and Hart, Gershwin, Bernstein, Cole Porter
One Drink, One Movie, One Album:
Locksley: Brandy Alexander, Beerfest, Stax Instrumentals: Booker T and the MGs and the Mar-Keys