The severely ambient music of Red Sparowes is absolutely worth experiencing.  The songs peppered with somber notes and self-reflective starkness are unavoidably hypnotic- and if I’m this entranced via auditory tools, I can’t wait to see what their live performance at the El Rey Theatre next week will bring!

Their new CD The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer is definitely worth listening to the entirety of the CD.  Being afflicted with severe music A.D.D. myself, I was surprised that I wasn’t even tempted to switch up the tracks- and as I finish unpacking after what seemed like a twenty year long move- the experimental tracks were refreshing, and perfectly complimented the new start- a soundtrack to a new era.  Fitting, as Red Sparowes themselves are experiencing somewhat of a Renaissance, musically!

In the middle of driving through Colorado in the midst of touring, BestNewBands.com was able to catch up with Greg Burns- the uber-talented bassist and pedal string guitarist of Red Sparowes.  Battling bad reception, we still managed to catch up while on the go:

BNB:  What would you say are your main inspirations musically?

GB:  I think as a band they’re probably different than individually- but definitely early Pink Floyd, Sonic Youth, The Cure- I don’t know, it’s kind of all over the map!

BNB:  How did you come up with your title “The Fear Is Excruciating But Therein Lies The Answer”?

GB:  That was actually Dave our drummer who came up with that title, and it’s the name of a track off an EP that we produced called Aphorism, and it summed up pretty well the concept of our new record which is sort of about the need to find meaning in things- and sort of the consequences of that.

 

BNB:  I feel like there’s a lot of freedom to be had when lyrics are not a priority, musically what do you think?

GB:  There is!  I mean, I think there’s challenges- but definitely I think it allows us to take more chances- and most importantly for us it allows people that listen to us to sort of interpret it the way they want.  So it allows freedom for us, but also for the listener as well.

 

BNB:  What did you listen to mainly growing up?

GB:  I kind of went through a couple different phases.  My father’s a musician and he played in a quartet and also taught in a world music program, so I actually grew up around a lot of Indian music so that was sort of my childhood; and then when I was a teenager I went and listened to a lot of, you know, Black Flag.  And through my Dad also I like a lot of Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, The Beatles, you know- classic rock.  And then in my twenties you know, I was listening to a lot of hardcore punk and then in my twenties I kind of put all that aside and stopped being so restrictive.  So now I sort of listen to all that stuff- I don’t really limit myself in any way.

 

BNB:  Your album just dropped this year- ready to jump back in the recording studio yet or would you rather wait a while?

GB:  We’re gonna wait a little while, we’ve started writing and we’re just really busy touring.  We’ve got some dates with Boris right now, we just finished a whole US tour and we’re going to Europe in the Fall.

BNB:  That’s exciting!

GB:  Yeah, it’s gonna be awesome.  So like right now, it’s just supporting this record.  But we’d like to get back in the studio next year at some point.

 

BNB:  If you could play in a different country, where would your first destination most likely be?

GB:  We’re actually gonna do they opposite of this, but I think my favorite show was in Greece.  We’re really taken good care of there and the audience is just really, very enthusiastic and it’s a lot of fun.  And, Greece is beautiful and we get to usually hang out there- so I’d say that’s my favorite spot in Europe.  I don’t know if I’d START the tour there though, just because it’s kind of nice to end there.

 

BNB:  How were Red Sparowes formed?

GB:  I had been living in Los Angeles for a while and some friends of mine moved out, and among them was Jeff Caxide from Isis, and so all the guys in Isis moved out, and through Jeff I got to know them- so originally it was Jeff and Bryant Clifford Meyer, myself, and Dana (Berkowitz) played drums and Josh Graham, and we were all, you know, already friends and so we just ended up going in and jamming one day and it just sort of evolved from there.  Before we knew it we had a show, and then some songs- you know we never really intentionally started a band, it just kind of ended up working out that way.

 

BNB:  What would you say has been a defining moment of the band thus far?

GB:  Oh wow that’s an amazing question.  I mean besides just early on and just playing together…wow….I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that before!  You know, I’d there have been a few.  A really defining moment for us has been sort of overcoming a series of obstacles, logistically, we have a new guitar player- Emma Ruth Rundle- and we’re sort of in this new phase where there’s like great inspiration and motivation, that for a while, sort of felt like it was slipping away a little bit-  so really it’s just like this whole new phase of Red Sparowes that really revolves around us just becoming more focused, concentrating on songwriting.

BNB:  Nice!  So it’s like Red Sparowes 2.0 right now.

GB:  That’s EXACTLY what I would call it.

 

BNB:  When did you start playing the pedal steel guitar?

GB:  I actually started playing about 6 months before Red Sparowes started, so I really didn’t know what I was doing- so I’ve been playing for, let’s see, a little over 6 years now.  That’s been my main instrument- I’ve been playing bass for…21 years now- but pedal steel was a really good way to sort of get myself into the band, because Jeff (Caxide) was playing bass and guitar, so it was really easy for me to come in and play bass and pedal steel, and sort of trade off.

 

BNB:  Craziest touring/ show stories?

GB:  Let’s see, you know the thing that always comes to mind is the first show in Greece and you know we had no idea what to expect- I mean were not really the kind of band that people like, stage dive to, and it was just a whole new set of standards for a show, and people stage diving.  And then, that night the promoter took us out to the cliffs near the Temple of Poseiden which is just right on the ocean and we just drank beer and hung out and stared at the ocean.  It was really one of the most beautiful moments of my life.  There were a million stars in the sky- like nothing I’d ever seen before- I could clearly SEE the milky way and it was perfectly mirrored in the ocean.

BNB:  That definitely makes me want to hope a plane!

GB:  You should definitely go to Greece.  Plus they could use the money right now.

BNB:  I mean, as long as I’m being a good Samaritan!

 

BNB:  Closing remarks?

GB:  Yeah, just like, we’re really busy, we’re really excited, we’re really motivated and we’ll be doing a lot of touring this year- a little bit more touring next year, and then, working on the record!  So…we’re back in action!  So we’re gonna be around, come out and hang out!

BNB:  And you’re playing next week at the El Rey Theatre in L.A., right?

GB:  Yeah!  We’re playing with Boris and Helms Alee!

 

You can catch Red Sparowes in Los Angeles next Friday, August 27 at the El Rey Theatre- and check out the rest of their schedule and music at www.myspace.com/redsparowes!