Who are your major musical influences?

Warren: Well, I have to say pavement. not because they had a defining impact on my musical taste but because SM is our ‘friend’ on myspace and without him the whole thing would collapse like a pack of cards. No, pavement have a lot to answer for in my book, along with Sebadoh, Silver Jews, Sonic Youth, and, of course, British bands like Black Sabbath and My Bloody Valentine. I?d even go to as far to say David Bowie and John Lennon although the prior is for his acting and the latter for his acting up. I?d like to be more provocational, I just don?t have it in me.

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What approach do you take to writing music?

I don’t really have so much an approach, the music usually just writes itself. I listen to the music that I favor at the time and get inspired by what I hear, though I don’t usually just tell myself “oh, alright, I guess I will write this and put this here”. That’s one way of doing it, but I don’t really think about it much anymore really, it sort of just comes. I can’t usually remember how I come up with the songs, but when I do feel like I’m in a blue mood or something, before I know it, the music is just there.

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From where do you draw your influences — and how do you manage to combine them in a way that remains true to your intentions?

this is exploding writes its music together as a group. Sometimes one person will bring in an idea and we’ll all build upon it, but more often then not the four of us will jam on something for a little while and then expand upon it slowly and steadily, demolish it, and then build it up again till it’s just right. This allows all four of us to put our different influences and thoughts into each song. I personally draw influence from anything that is done with passion and quality. I love the talking heads, the police, john lennon, and sting, and those were my main influences as a songwriter early on, but the further I get along the more I absorb everything that catches me, movies, music videos, books, country, grindcore, indie-alt-pop bands that no one has ever heard of, dance routines. So long as it is done well and with passion in mind there is something to be appreciated and absorbed from it. That all comes out in the music I make and the experiences I have and the words I write.

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Where do you draw inspiration for your music?

From a combination of sources both musical and spiritual. Spiritual in the sense of the interconnectiveness of art w/ the Universe, not spiritual in the sense of dogmatism. I think there is a higher purpose in being an artist that is connected to the evolution of humanity, and I draw inspiration in trying to create art that works in that way- towards a higher state of consciousness…..as far as musical inspiration- i’m an avid collector and I have thousands of CD’s and records…….some definite “on the sleeve” ones would be the Creation label bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Swervedriver, etc. and their american counterparts, The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Dinosaur Jr., The Swirlies, The Lilys…..but I’d have to say my favorite band of all time is MAIN…and of course all the classic acts like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Stones

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You have a unique method of creating a live sound — how did it develop?

A few years ago I was playing in a band, all the guys I was playing with were great musicians and friends, but also in other projects. I was ready to tour and not have a day job and live and die by my music, while their mindset was to stay in L.A. and find a record deal which is a waste of time. I started doing solo shows. At first it was just me and my guitar, then one by one I started adding things that filled out the sound so I wouldn’t be just another guy with a guitar. It worked out well because I started getting a much more enthusiastic response from people than I did even with a full band. Over the course of the last 2 years of tour it just evolved itself into what it is now, I guess it was just born out of my need to do more than strum a guitar. (more…)

What are your thoughts on having been featured on KCRW/BBC Radio 6?

It was a pleasant surprise really. We didn’t know much about it, particularly the KCRW thing. When it was on radio 6 they phoned us up about a minute before it went on so i didn’t actually get to hear it. we didn’t know about kcrw until we started getting emails from LA from people saying theyd heard it and wondering when we were playing!

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How does your location influence your music?

Our little practice space is pretty dirty, but at least it is dry. We borrowed a lamp from a band down the hall two or three months ago after I accidentally fried ours. It emits a soft, elipsical glow on the ceiling. We have a little space heater which keeps the space above freezing. We have a courtyard adjacent to our space which lets in some light. There is a little black rubbermaid trash can in the corner. There are strange transients always knocking on our door or pacing around the building, and we have new neighbors. Sometimes they really loud, and they smoke cigarettes all the time. I think they live there. Kevin threw a bottle last night and left a nasty wilt in my hip.

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