Home Alone

MIXXXING

AND ANOTHERRR

Via KIMBERLEY @ GILDED GUTTER chrzzz

---

Super excited to offer up a new interview up from one of London's favourite Punk bands, Sauna Youth. Interview done by everyone in the band all at once.

For anyone new to Sauna Youth let's have a quick run down of who you are and what you play?

MINCE plays the bass. HARPER sings and is our M. Swope. PINES plays the guitar and that's it. BOON plays the drums and sings as well.

Have you been in or currently in any other bands?

Currently - Tense Men, Pines, Feature, Moon Gangs. Beefy and the Balls. Juliet & The Romeos. Kasabian II and David Hackney, Female Bonding. I'm probably forgetting some.

What do you want to achieve with playing music in Sauna Youth?

To entertain ourselves and relieve general boredom, for a start. Also being in a band seems to have the innate ability to create interesting experiences and we’re all about interesting experiences.

Your sound is heavily set in Punk, are there any Punk bands in particular you look up to?

The Undertones, Chrome, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Suicide, Fucked Up, Swell Maps, Wire, Career Suicide. The Ramones of course. I feel like there is one ur-band who would encapsulate all those but I can't think who it is right now..........Abba?

What do you think has changed from English Punk in say the 70s to Punk today?

It's changed from being all about spiky haircuts to spiky, cutting comments on the internet. I actually have no idea. I guess the ability to access pretty much everything recorded from every era and location in the world almost instantaneously has had quite a weird effect… lots of archiving, very accurate re-interpretations, and the rise of micro-influences. Less leather? More Leather?

Megaupload just got shut down, as a band who utilize Bandcamp, Blogs et al, what do you make of the digital age and the government trying to put a cap on it? I mean it's so different to when we were kids and hearing about music was limited to word-of-mouth, magazines and record stores, yet - with control being enforced in the digital world, tapes are seeing a resurgence which brings back the human touch, it's a really interesting time...

I'm not really sure what I think of it. Obviously, people will find another way to share stuff they like again even if all those sites get shut down. It's impossible to stop completely, its kind of like a hydra where you cut off one head and another comes back in its place. Maybe I'm thinking of a worm or something. I'm not sure because I remember what it was like to have to wait 3 weeks to get a CD I ordered from the record shop only to find out that it totally stank. There is something inherently satisfying about searching for something online and hearing it a couple of minutes later. There is definitely music I like because of hearing it on mp3 first. And now there are people who ape the bit-rate quality of the mp3 encoding process in their music, yknow, its part of the sound now... I still like and buy records though...We made the choice very early on to always have physical objects, records as artefacts, just to prove we were/are here.

Do you prefer playing or recording?

They are wildly different spheres for us. When we play live there's usually a whole load of other factors that have influenced how the show goes - whether we've had a boring day at work, how drunk we are, how much coffee has been imbibed, whether we’re excited to play the show, etc etc you know, its infinite. With recording there's a goal in mind, you're trying to do your best to capture it for posterity. We’ve been recording ourselves for the start which has had positive and negative results, positive – it’s very cheap, we get to record songs we don’t even know how to play and we get to try out a lot of different things, it can be a lot of fun for the most part… the negatives mainly include going completely mental not knowing what you’re doing and trying to figure out if all those different things you’ve tried out are in fact total shit. In answer to your question, playing live as it only takes 25 minutes to do.

Listening to your lyrics, it seems like they tell stories of conflict in people. I notice what I think are references to the young linked with politics in single 'Youth', but also everyday humdrum, relationships and (avoiding) self reflection - like the 'Mad Mind' cassette. I was wondering if the thread in your songs is exploring human experience? If so, what does it mean to you to tell stories from this viewpoint?

One of the most important things in life is isolating discontent because its far more dangerous when it goes undiscovered or hidden, so the lyrics are maybe a way of bringing the unspoken to the surface. We don't really believe in political songs, we would hate to write something that’s contrived and general sounding. The personal stuff is what interests us, I’m fascinated by people, the mundane aspects of life, people's experiences, the ways we can transcend ourselves and connect with others, so that's what we write about. The truest metaphors are taken from first-hand experience.

How would you describe London's music scene to someone who hasn't been here?

Gory. There's only 4 bands. It's sometimes like posting the most embarrassing photo on facebook and everybody liking it.

What's been the most memorable show you've played so far? That Total Control show just before Christmas, I have to say, was awesome...

Thanks, that was a good one, and kind of a turning point perhaps. It was one of the first shows after RON left to went back to the mountains again. Playing in Murray’s old bedroom in Southampton ages ago was definitely a highlight for several reasons, 1 – everybody had a lot of fun 2 – we managed to play all the songs off the MAD MIND tape having never rehearsed them or played them together before 3 – it was the first sighting of coffee man 4 – there were loads of old VHS tapes there which were perfect for wrapping round an entire room of people.

What's been the best show you've ever attended?

The last best one that I can remember was Straightjacket Nation in a huge warehouse somewhere in south London that our friend Bryony put on. Pretty awesome. They did a Saints cover. HARPER says when Prize Pets played their last show at YES WAY festival.

As far as I can tell two of your singles are self released, how did you find the process of putting out a record?

The Desperate Bicylces quote 'it was cheap, it was easy, go and do it' is not necessarily applicable to putting out a 7" in 2012.

A lot of Sauna Youth material is self recorded, did you have much experience before hand with recording or did you suss things out along the way?

BOON had been learning through his job and figured he could do it - it's been a steep learning curve. Especially as our methodology to doing it changes every time - case in point being when he had to rerecord just the snare drum to our whole album....nause.

Based on some things I've read, and correct me if I'm wrong, it sounds like recordings are executed with a loose approach. Is it important for you guys work on instinct when recording? For me, it would definitely explain where that high-raw-energy quality comes from that makes your songs stand out so much...

We don't really practice that much, so any loose-ness is probably attributable to that. We don't try to finesse it too much, the one time we did made it sound weird and lifeless. So perhaps any rawness is explained like that, instinctual is maybe a good way to describe it. Like a WILD ANIMAL!

BOON says – you know when you’re watching a band and it’s so loud that you can’t really tell what’s going on but it sounds amazing and you start to hear all these hidden melodies and noises that aren’t really there but the sheer volume of it just creates them? Well, I try to go for something like that but faced with the abstract notion of volume and how to tackle the fact that someone could just turn it down I mainly end up putting a lot of layers of 'free guitar' on all the recordings.

What do you as a band have planned for 2012?

We have an album coming out on FAUX DISCX, and later a split with Omi Palone and 2 others on Paradise Vendors, Inc and DISTRACTIONS III - a magazine with a flexidisc. And a 7” of songs sung by HARPER is in the works.

What do you have playing on your record player at home at the moment?

Bela Bartok String Quartet no 2. I was listening to it and my housemate came in to tell me what a drunk, rude fuckhead I head been the previous evening and it started skipping right on cue. NOT EVEN JOKING. BOON says Veronica Falls, Royal Headache and the Surburbanite 7” , HARPER says Living Ultra, MINCE likes the Marked Men and The Raincoats a lot right now.

"I'm full of dust and guitars" - Syd Barrett, if you were split in half what would be inside?

"... too much blood, too much blood. Oh yeah.." - Rolling Stones.

---

Playing a show for her too............ (and Etienne of course)

VERNON HERZGOG

I like food, food is good.

We did another interview. This time for the guys at Mint magazine via Belly Kids... we waxed lyrical about our favourite pastime, eating. Again, a few glaring inaccuracies BUT Y'KNOW WHO CARES? (also, sorry i deleted that photo of me with jam all over my face. It's now limited edition, did you get it?) (also, when are we going to play YOUR house? let us know - huxleyboon@gmail.com)

Sauna Youth are a band scattered around the south. The relative distance between the parts means we don’t get to see them perform live as much as we would like but let me tell you, they are one of the best live bands going at the moment and definitely worth the trip. They play a frenzied style of punk with mega amounts of energy and a bundle of intensity. They’re obnoxious, snotty, intelligent and brooding but each member is super nice and always willing to play your house, say “hey” or answer your dumb questions.

Hope it makes you hungry.

What food do you like eating? Any places worthy of a plug? 

Good Italian food with fresh ingredients is pretty hard to beat though eating in Japan was one of my favourite dining experiences. Not only for the incredible food but the importance that is placed on the social aspect of eating; it’s pretty heart warming. Really fantastic.

I think we all prefer cooking at home & I’m terrible at remembering things like this but we have all eaten many times at Tay Do on Kingsland Road. Summer rolls & the tofu, chili & lemon grass noodles are standard.

So, it’s you and me at a dinner party, dreamy right? You get to invite 3 other guests – dead, musician, non celeb, celeb, alive, whatever – who would they be?

Dreamy. Joey, Johnny & Dee Dee. I’m afraid if you’re going to make it that exclusive Marky misses out this time…

If your music was a food (bear with me on this) what would it be and why?

Eggs. Versatile.

When are we going for a picnic? WHEN? And what’s the soundtrack?

Sunday. Steve Reich – Four Organs & The Marked Men – Ghosts.

Could you give us a secret killer recipe?

LOVELY TOMATOES…

Heat some crushed garlic in olive oil. DON’T burn it.
Plop in a tin of plum tomatoes, heat them up.
Throw in some pepper, fresh basil & red wine if you’re feeling adventurous.
Pour over thick wedges of toast (white or brown – your choice) covered in butter.
Bob’s your uncle, saturday morning is off to a great start.

CREDIT

PAQUE

I don't

RSC

Shacklewell Arms - thanx ROBIN

IN TAR VIEW

HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIIIII,

Soooo... how're things? We've been pretty busy the last few weeks, hence the radio silence. We played those 3 shows with Ceremony and Stab it was a "blast" "killer" and "wicked". Not only were they all bloody lovely but also they'd made the very pertinent decision to have Johnny Takeaway driving them, who thought we sounded more like Devo and less emo these days. If you haven't seen us recently we now all play synths btw.

We've done some other stuff as well as playing at the Shacklewell Arms at the end of that week, look at some photos -

PHOTO CREDITsss - MARC FUYA

As you can see it was a "killer wicked" show. Other stuff also includes finishing off (again) our 12"... which will be seeing the light of day soon... We've also been sorting out a bunch of other stuff, stuff, stuff. It's all very exciting I can assure you. Uh, we also did an interview for Black Tar Music... which i'm afraid does contain some glaring inaccuracies, which are as follows - we're not from Brighton, we all recently relocated to Manchester; none of us were ever in The Steal, which didn't exist anyway; I have never listened to the entirety of a Sonic Youth record; your girlfriends are safe with us; we love coffee. Ok, now i've cleared that up...

There was a time in the not too distant past when Sonic Youth emdodied the very aesthetics of teenage rock and roll: dissonant, aggressive, and cloaked in walls of phantom noise, the sound was teenage: and to be youthful was to be part of this sonic lifestyle. However, somewhere along the way things started to turn pear-shaped; gone were the blood curdling cries against corporate America, and instead in this ideological void stood some jaded perception that it was now  ok to compile CDs for Starbucks and still crown yourself the king and queens of a musical subculture. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the band, but something had to give. Now, Sauna Youth aren’t exactly picking up from where they left off, but they have obviously listened to a lot of their records, and have essentially pinched the ‘cool’ aspect of their name,  but this garage punk band from Brighton approach ‘youthfulness’ with exactly the right attitude. Formed out the remnants of The Steal, Sauna Youth’s sound is scuzzy, short, and weirdly fun. This is ultimately party music made by people who don’t take themselves too seriously; musicians who would much rather tear the place up and screw your girlfriend than mess around with ordering  a skinny latte . Despite this Sauna Youth are fiercely independent, and distribute all their music themselves. Black Tar decided to have a quick chat and found them mostly receptive to our questioning.
BLACK TAR: Could you tell me what the band are about?
Sauna Youth: Mince is about to go to bed, Harper is about to finish a lovely plate of Dhall, Pines is about to get home from work and i’m about to get a coldsore.
BT: How did you get together?
SY: We were at a Eddie Frankel’s bar-mitzvah and all 4 of us simultaneously managed to catch each others eyes. The rest is history.
BT: Could you give us an idea what a normal day for the band is like?
SY: Dull.
BT: How do you describe the bands sound?
SY: With great difficulty. That’s what critics are for right?
BT: What is the songwriting process like for you guys?
SY: Step 1. What do you we want to write about?
Before we start messing around with chords and melodies, we find it helpful to have an idea of what we want to write about, this helps us stay focused on one subject and stops the song veering off in too many directions. We should be able to sum up what our song is about in one short sentence. For example, “A relationship that’s on the rocks” or “cheating girlfriend, begging for me back”.
Step 2. Get A Chord Progression
Now that we know what we want to write about it’s time to get a chord progression together. We usually have two options.
1. Play the same chord for the entire song
or
2. Play different chords for the entire song
Both options work perfectly and many successful songs for us have been written using both methods.
Step 3. Creating A Melody
We like to write a melody, well at least a rough version of the melody, first. The reason for this is that when you have a melody sometimes the lyrics just write themselves, certain words have a natural rhythm and melodic tone.
SY: Coming up with a melody is easy enough. We just play our chord and hum notes over it. We will start to hear a melodic phrase come to life. Sometimes it might take a couple of weeks but we keep at it until we find something we’re happy with.
Step 4. Add lyrics To Your Melody
SY: It’s time to bring our melody to life by adding lyrics. Read our guide ”How To Write Song Lyrics” for some great tips on writing lyrics.
BT: How important is independent distribution to the band?
SY: Vital, we literally wouldn’t have sold a thing if we hadn’t done it independently, because we pressed most of our records ourselves we also had to get them out into the world ourselves. This has also made us very appreciative of other people doing it for us though… it’s pretty time consuming. There are some very good distros and shops all over the world that have been very kind to us. Also, why is distro spelt with an o rather than an i?
BT: Was this always your intention, or did you have some industry horror stories? 
SY: The 5 year development deal was ok but when our A&R man got fired at the label we found ourselves lost amongst the forest of music at said label, we fought to retain our name and the songs we’d written but ultimately ‘the man’ always wins out. One day the Kasabian II recordings will see the light of day, even if it kills us. Finally freeing ourselves from the shackles of the industry was very freeing and we celebrated by independently distributing our records.
BT: Where do the band practice? 
SY: N/A
BT: Who you digging at the moment? 
SY: Human Hair, Omi Palone, Cold Pumas, Satellites Of Love.
BT: What cool things have you got lined up for this year? 
SY: We’re releasing a 12″ on Faux Discx before summer and a 4 way split 7″ with Omi Palone and a couple of other bands on Paradise Vendors Inc, there’s a 7″ on Static Shock Records coming out fairly soon too… hopefully a live split cassette from a show we put on the other day at the Shacklewell Arms will exist before the end of the year. We’ve also got some shows lined up that we’re pretty excited about including some with Ceremony in March.
Sauna Youth are supporting the Jacuzzi Boys at the Shackwell Arms, Dalston, on March 23<sup>rd (we already did this. ok)




---








OH YEAH SEE YOU TONIGHT AT POWERLUNCHES.</sup>