There are very few times I get amped on an entire lineup- but last night Friday, July 30, 2010- The Viper Room in Los Angeles rocked my world. Dirty Sweet (made up of Ryan, Nathan, Chris, Christian, and Jeremy) and The Stone Foxes (composed of Shannon and Spence Koehler, Aaron Mort, and Avi Vincour) serenaded Sunset Strip with a vintage vibe full of retro rock that had the whole room on their feet for the entirety of both sets. Drowning in a sea of vintage headbands, flares, and long hair I GPS’d my way over to the edge of the stage and turned around to see the great wall of people that had come out for a sound so seductively 60s and 70s, it was unreal! Lucky for me I got to hang with both bands and get a little dirt on the behind the scenes stuff we don’t always see on stage…
BestNewBands.com gets to have fried food and drinks with The Stone Foxes for a little pre-show food fest…here’s what the boys think about WMD’s, Zooey Deschanel, and Gymnastic training….
BNB: So the name…get into that a bit!
TSF: Well for a long time we’d show up somewhere and people would think we were going to be like a bunch of old ladies. So, ya know, we’d flip them off behind their backs- but we’d still play nice.
BNB: You guys are pretty much an on-stage band, as opposed to a recording band- what’s up with that?
TSF: Well I think you get to take some freedoms and liberties on-stage that you just wouldn’t get to take otherwise. We can kind of play around with the songs- we’ll get into something and it gets really fun, and we just do weird stuff!
BNB: What’s changed with the new CD? It’s got kind of a little more Southern fried rock infused in it…
TSF: Well…nothing intentionally! Hopefully we got better!
BNB: What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you guys on-stage or at a show?
TSF: Well I (Shannon) fainted- but it was only the one time! No but really one time he (Aaron) climbed this like 10ft. pole in Austin, and just like, lept onto the stage. I mean we couldn’t even look at him for the rest of the song- we were just like, he’s still alive?! Kepp playing, keep playing!
Shannon: Well I mean this guy used to be a gymnast.
BNB: So in training for the Olympics?
Aaron: Well I was in the Olympics back in 2001.
Spence: The special Olympics…
TSF: You know- we’ve counted a couple of times at a show where someone in the front row of the audience has been slapped in the face with a bass head.
BNB: So your bass is actually a weapon of mass destruction is what you’re saying.
TSF: Well- minimal.
Spence: When you give a small man, a large bass…
Aaron: Yeah, I don’t even think my arm reaches the tuner knob on that thing. It’s a two man job to tune it.
BNB: What are the main influences musically?
TSF: Well, much wider than people would think. You know, 50s pop. Obvious stuff- Led Zep, Bob Dylan, Wilco, The Black Keys.
BNB: Any pre-show vices or rituals?
Shannon: I have panic attacks.
TSF: Shark week’s coming up in August.
BNB: Wait- doesn’t it start this Sunday?
Aaron: Shark’s have a week dedicated to me.
BNB: Ok most interesting man, moving right along…
(KATIE PERRY COMES ON RADIO)
TSF: Our other manager Joe wants to be with Katie Perry. It’s like blue wig? Yeah.
BNB: Wow- but the question is- Katie Perry or Zoey Deschanel?
TSF: Zoey Deschanel! HANDS DOWN.
Shannon: Why anyone would think of any girl other than Norah Jones is beyond me. She’s the only woman in my life. Well, and my girlfriend.
BNB: Okay, so your next show is?
TSF: Visalia. Then we kind of wander around San Diego, Santa Barbara…
BNB: Oh that’s right- you’ll be playing with Loomis & the Lust up there!
TSF: Yeah we’ve actually had terrible luck in SB. Not only have we had three awful shows- but our van broke down! But we’re going to keep going back till it changes!
BNB: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
Shannon: ANYTHING- I swear to god. I love ice cream. I think a Tollhouse cookie sandwich is my favorite- but I would do a lot for a Klondike bar.
Aaron: He’s probably the only the musician who’s ever really considered being sponsored by Tollhouse cookie sandwiches.
Shannon: Actually, Klondike if you’re listening- I will take your sponsorship and mention you once a show.
BNB: You stoked for your show tonight?
TSF: Yeah!
BNB: Have you ever played with Dirty Sweet before?
TSF: No, but we’ve seen them. The have VERY expensive equipment. Even their foot pedals alone! We envy them. Although- we don’t envy travelling with that. We’d like put the stuff in the van and go get something to eat and be like- put out a lawn chair and just have someone posted there to watch.
BNB: Like 24 hour surveillance? We’re used to that here in L.A.!
FOR MORE INFO ON WHEN YOU CAN CATCH THE FOXES, CHECK OUT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THESTONEFOXES!
Next, BestNewBands.com gets to hang on Sunset Strip with Nathan & Ryan from Dirty Sweet where we talk board games, NPR, & Eurotrip twenty-ten!
BNB: Ciao boys! Introduce yourselves…
DS: I’m Nathan from Dirty Sweet I play guitar. I’m Ryan, I sing.
BNB: Okay, where’d you get your name from- pull it out of a hat or what?
DS: Umm…it comes from a T-Rex song, and there’s a line in there “you’re dirty sweet and you’re my girl.”
BNB: How’s the tour been going thus far?
DS: We’re not actually on tour RIGHT now, but we’ve been touring a lot.
BNB: Yeah, you just got back from Europe, right?
DS: Yeah, about a couple weeks ago. About seven weeks- played about 30 shows.
BNB: So you all travel in the same van- what is currently bumping in your transportation vehicle?
DS: The Faces and NPR. And the new Black Keys.
BNB: Would you use twister or operation to get the party started?
DS: Definitely twister. If it’s all guys- operation. If it’s a mixed crowd, then definitely twister.
BNB: Any pre-show vices or rituals?
DS: God….whiskey? Water. Maker’s Mark.
BNB: So…word on the street is your equipment is pretty damn expensive- any comment on that?!
DS: SHHHHH. Don’t say that too loud- it’s sitting in the back of our van right now! Nah, I mean most of our stuff is vintage- so it tends to be worth a lot. Old stuff sounds better.
BNB: What would you do for a Klondike Bar?
DS: Pay two bucks. Back flip.
BNB: What are your main influences musically?
DS: That’s a tough one- a lot. Beatles, Stones, Led Zep, Bob Dylan, Soul, Motown.
BNB: If you could play at any one location, what’s your destination of choice?
DS: Oh, the Hollywood Bowl. Red Rocks.
BNB: Someone once desribed you as being the perfect band to enjoy mid-afternoon, outdoor festival, beer in hand. When would you like to be enjoyed by the mass audience?
DS: That sounds great! Or maybe mainstage at Coachella.
BNB: Any closing remarks?
DS: PARTY!
FOR MORE INFO ON WHEN TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY WITH DIRTY SWEET, CHECK OUT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DIRTYSWEETMUSIC!
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