We recently caught up with vocalist Emily Armstrong who explained that 2012 is shaping up to be the band’s best year yet.

Check out our conversation with Emily as she discusses being a female vocalist in a male dominated rock world, items in her tour survival kit, and the band almost being named Masturbation Salvation:

Since we caught up with you guys last October, you seem to just be getting bigger and bigger. What do you owe the momentum to?

Working together as a team here at Pocket Kid Records/Fontana and the support of our fans!

How does it feel to be a female fronted rock band amidst a sea of male fronted rock bands?

We have a leg up I’d say because of the lack of female fronted rock bands these days. But at the end of the day, we are just friends who love rock music and love playing rock music with a passion. There is no boy-girl equation.

What runs through your head right before you guys take the stage?

A million things. It’s too hard to think. My mind is racing…!

What’s in your touring survival kit?

Vitamins, water, good coffee and good food when we can.

Do you have any female singer role models that you look up to? You’ve been described as a cross between Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, and Siouxsie Sioux…

Sure, It changes from time to time but it mainly falls back to the 60′s – 70′s folk singers. From Melanie, Sandy Denny, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens – you name it. They sang with so much honesty I can’t help but get goosebumps and watery eyes.

Emily and Siouxsie, you’d been playing together for a while, but it wasn’t until you teamed up with Chris and Sean that you found the Dead Sara sound. Did you know when you first jammed with them, that you had found the missing links in the project?

It took me a little longer then the first jam but not much longer. I was just stoked to be playing. It didn’t hurt that we started writing “Weatherman” the first rehearsal… like I said, it didn’t take much longer.

What has been the most surreal moment of being in this band?

Being played on 98.7 FM. Because, being from LA I would listen to that station growing up and fantasize that one day my band would play one it. The support from them is amazing!

Is it true you almost named your band Masturbation Salvation?

It was an option that Siouxsie had…yes.

Who is your favorite band that you shared a stage with and why?

I don’t have an answer for this one yet. Going blank.

Where do you hope 2012 takes Dead Sara?

Staying really really busy. We got a lot cut out for us this year and it’s all exciting! Including being one of the featured artists for Warped Tour. I know how important it is for a band to be working – and this work is a blessing.

If you had to pick one of your songs that best sums up what Dead Sara is all about, which would it be and why?

I have to say “Weatherman”. Only because it was the first song we started writing together with Chris and Sean. And now it’s our first single…

 Is there any sort of underlying theme to your debut album?

I’d just say it is raw, energetic, rock n roll and passion.

What is your secret to your massive on stage energy? Chugging coffee pre show? Natural adrenaline? Energy drinks?

Sleeping! A good rest sometime during the day or right before the show and then letting adrenaline do its thing when hitting the stage.

What’s the best part about being a Los Angeles rock band?

Big city, big dreams.

Words by Nicole Pajer (@NicolePajer). Photos by Catie Laffoon (@CatieLaffoon)

Weatherman by Dead Sara

After several years of gaining popularity as a rebellious Iranian band, The Yellow Dogs moved to New York and have been enjoying the freedom to perform without constantly looking over their shoulder. Lead singer/guitarist Obaash recently spoke with ChinaShop about “not giving a rat’s ass” about the laws in Iran, getting arrested for having long hair, and feeling at home in Brooklyn.

You got your start playing illegal basement shows in Tehran. Tell us more about that.

In summer of 2007, we teamed up with our good friends/band the Free Keys (they just got to Brooklyn from Tehran 2 weeks ago) and built an underground venue out of a basement in Tehran, and we threw 2 concerts. It was a place where anything that was illegal outside was legal inside, like rock and roll, alcohol, dancing and etc. We sound proofed the whole place and had people watching the street while we were playing. I should say we were lucky that we didn’t get arrested!

And you used to practice on a rooftop? Whose rooftop was it?

It was our former drummer’s rooftop. We built and sound proofed a tiny room on the roof with a bunch of garbage where we rehearsed for almost three years. It was located in a traditional neighborhood in Tehran.

Did you keep your amps turned down low, etc. to avoid getting caught?

Sometimes, and our drummers dad would cut off the electricity if we got too loud, but mostly we played as loud as we could… It was more pleasant.

Why did you have to practice in secret? Was it because of your controversial song lyrics?

Just playing our kind of music in Iran is considered an act of Satanism and it’s a crime. We also had controversial lyrics as well and no permission for playing music. In Iran, for playing any kind of music or doing any sort of arts or having any sort of art space, you should get permission from “The Ministry of Islamic Culture.” It was impossible for us to get permission from them and I should add that we never gave a rat’s ass about that ministry and most of the laws of Iran.

What would have happened if you got caught playing the music that you made?

Fines, lashes, jail time… no one really knows.

Have you always been fans of freedom of speech?

I guess yes as it is a basic human rights, but we just wanted to play music!

Were you ever arrested? If so, where and what for?

Once in a main square in Tehran, I was arrested with Looloosh (our guitarist) by the moral police for having long hair.

And now you guys live in Brooklyn? What made you gravitate towards New York?

Yes we do. A lot of our favorite bands that we listened to in Iran were from New York. We used to see it in films and hear about the music and art scene; it was always such a tempting thing to live in New York. After going on tour across America, we realized that we feel more like home in Brooklyn than anywhere else.

How long have you lived in NY?

For two years… It still feels pretty fresh and new.

What is your favorite thing about the US?

New York City…. actually Brooklyn.

Craziest experience you’ve had playing music?

The whole thing is such a crazy experience, as the past few years had been a wild journey. Our craziest show in the US had to be at the Filter’s Culture Collide festival in LA where a guy at first was just dancing crazy but then turned into a madman and jumped on stage and started grabbing and pulling me. Then I saw Looloosh and our manager were fighting to kick him off and then the crazy guy tore my guitar strings so we were only able to play 3 songs, but the crowd really loved it.

I’ve read that your band is named after a nickname you used to call each other. What exactly does calling someone a “Yellow Dog” mean?

It all came from an old slang that says: “the yellow dogs is brother of the jackal.” It means that you can’t tame a yellow dog and it would be better by itself in the wilderness. When you call someone “Yellow Dog” it means he or she is kinda crazy.

What is your most controversial song about?

It’s about the whole stereotype image that westerners have from Middle Eastern people – a bunch of suicide bombers with camels and guns who don’t know shit about what’s going on outside their village in the middle of the dessert.

Who are your musician idols?

We listen to a very wide range of music but we like Talking Heads, The Clash, Gang of four, The Kinks, Rapture, Moving Units…

Favorite show you’ve played so far in your career and why?

It’s really hard to say because each show is a new thing. I like playing our house parties at our compound in BK. Our underground shows in Iran were definitely such special events. Playing with great bands like Black Lips, Thee Oh Sees, CSS and venues like Webster Hall and Echoplex in LA were amazing too!

What’s on the agenda for 2012? Tell us about the new EP, etc.

We will be recording our 2nd EP with Keith Souza again. He’s amazing and works with great bands (Battles, Dear Tick). We are releasing that and are also making our first music video in April after we get back from SXSW.

We really like to tour and now that our immigration issues have been solved (sort of) we can finally go to Europe, South America and Australia but first will go to Turkey, as that’s the only we can see our family and friends from Iran. We are planning a big show for there as well!

It will be a busy year for sure. I don’t like to say this but the rumors say that the end is near. We should hurry up!

Words by Nicole Pajer (@NicolePajer)

Follow The Yellow Dogs on Facebook and Twitter

06 – The Yellow Dogs – New Cen by bmariea

The pop punk princess has already conquered much of Europe with her delightfully catchy and remarkably well crafted ear candy and is now catching some well deserved buzz here in the U.S. Get to know the spunky songstress that’s the talk of the tastemakers after the jump.

What’s the music scene like in Norway? How ‘bout that Norwegian Black Metal?

You’re right, there is a lot of “black metal” going on, but the bands are more famous in the rest of the world. There is definitely that subculture in Norway, but they don´t get much airplay. I love them though, especially GORGOROTH!!! Check out this documentary to get an idea of Norwegian black metal and Norwegian culture.

Also, here´s some of the more (comparatively) “well-behaved” Norwegian bands to check out: Kaizers Orchestra, Röyksopp, and Ane Brun.

Tell us about the new album. Where does the title come from? What was it like working with producer Butch Walker?

With KATLA I was ready for something completely different. I had been touring with Fortress Round My Heart since forever and although I still love it, I was aware that if I went and made another “pop” oriented album I would bore myself to death. So we just opened the doors of the fortress and the eruption began.

“Fortress” was a dogma album, in the way that all the songs were in major keys, (except “Keep Me Warm”) and the colors were bright green, yellow, and black and white, plus a little rosy.

KATLA has one dogma: no dogma! It´s all the colors of the rainbow just like the gay flag. And it was recorded in Santa Monica, with Darren Dodd on drums, Jake Sinclair on bass/engineer, Stefan Törnby on guitar, and Butch producing and playing guitar.

Continue reading the full interview here. Interview courtesy of theroxyonsunset.com

KATLA by idamaria

You seem very influenced by scenes like roller derby, burlesque, and rockabilly. How does subculture influence your art?

Paige: Growing up in the suburbs of Maryland in that dark time before the internet, I desperately wanted to be cool. I’ve always skipped around subcultures dipping my toe in various scenes all through adolescence in an attempt to find myself. But I’ve always been first and foremost a big ol’ nerd with a wicked case of OCD when it comes to my obsessions, so I always treated each different subculture that I monkey-barred to and from as almost like a costume of different characters I was trying to be.

Paige: I’d also explore different subcultures in my art and creative endeavors as well, especially when I played tabletop RPG’s in high school like Vampire: The Masquerade and Shadowrun. As the Dungeon Master/Game Master/HBIC/whatever they call it I would have to create several characters for my player characters to interact with and any subculture at the time I had a slight interest in I’d have a character be a part of, who would require an illustration to show what they looked like to the players and mostly just served as an excuse to draw a cool outfit. I’ve also always had a love of crazy clothes and good music, which really is the basis for so many subcultures floating around. The best way I can express my love of them is through my artwork.

You frequently appear at conventions, dressed almost like one of your characters. How do you find this sort of socializing and interaction with fans?

Paige: I’ve been going to conventions for over 12 years, starting in 1998 at Otakon, an anime convention in my hometown of Baltimore. I’ve always been one for dressing up, from Halloween to Rocky Horror to goth clubs and getting into cosplay was yet another outlet for me. Plus at conventions people actually KNEW and appreciated who I was dressed up as, unlike at Halloween. Plus the pictures and attention especially as a nerdy, awkward late bloomer just coming in to her own sexuality was intoxicating. The first guy I ever had sex with I met dressed as a Pikachu. I had my John Hughes-esque prom queen moment of the slow descent down a staircase with all eyes on me dressed as the Baroness from G.I. Joe in a hotel lobby during Katsucon. So I cosplayed for a good 6-7 years before I realized I should probably start getting serious about attending conventions as a professional, since editors don’t tend to take you seriously at portfolio reviews when you’re drunk and high in a Sailor Moon costume. I had my first Artist Alley table at Baltimore Comic Con 07 and as the years have progressed my outfits have gotten crazier and crazier. I’m basically my own booth babe. Sometimes I do get the semi-patronizing “you did these all by yourself?” from random passerby, but also I kinda take that as an off-handed compliment at the same time. I’m like one of those deep sea fish with the dangly light-I lure folks over to the table, then chomp on them with my art. I’m kind of starting to see myself as almost like the Christina Hendricks of the comic book industry. Which I’m totally fine with.

Is there a “type” of Paigey girl you draw?

Paige: The Paigey girl, like myself, has evolved over time. A lot of people say that I look like my artwork, or that my artwork looks like me, I’m not entirely sure where one begins and ends sometimes. I think it’s always been that I draw the kind of girl I’d want to live vicariously through. Now it’s these perpetually giddy girls with hips and thighs and tummies and smiles that are dancing and eating bon bons and having a great old time. The stuff I do now seems to make people happy. When I see people flip through my art book or portfolio they’re always smiling, and I like seeing that.

You’ve branched out into jewelry, figurines, even lipstick cases. Tell us about making objects with your art.

Paige: Originally when I started selling my artwork I was sticking primarily to prints. But then I encountered a problem at conventions with buying stuff myself where I had bought so many prints from artists I like that I ran out of wall space. I can only assume my customers would encounter the same problem. I want to get my artwork into the hands of as many people as possible, so I try to put it on items that you would use everyday. I have several friends who are big into crafting and are generous enough to share their ideas and suppliers with me and we’ve formed a bit of a network. And especially at comic conventions, which are so male dominated, my Artist Alley tables have become known as the ‘Girlfriend Table,’ which is a slot I don’t mind filling especially at the more mainstream comic shows. I’m also collaborating with my best friend Fenny’s DIY company Little Asian Sweatshop on specially designed hairflowers, bags, wallets and eventually my own line of dresses featuring my Paigey pinups.

What’s next for you?

Paige: Next year will be a very exciting time as it will be the beginning of my first calendar year spent as a full-time freelance artist. I’m planning on expanding my fanbase as I vend more events than ever, branching out to include concerts, hot rod shows, festivals and roller derby bouts, and as always continue working my beloved comic conventions. I also plan on releasing my second artbook which will collect my artwork from 2008 until now and I also want to help a few of my other very talented artist friends get their own artbooks together as well. There also will be plenty more handcrafted products bearing Paigey artwork in the future. And as always creating newer, awesomer artwork.

Find out more about Paige Pumphrey here:

theartofPaigey.com

twitter.com/PaigeyPumphrey

facebook.com/ArtofPaigey

PaigeyPumphrey.etsy.com

Interview by Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple). Below showgirl pic by Aniline Black.

While the band has been gaining attention due to their A-list drummer, it’s their innovative rock ‘n’ roll sound that has been attracting genuine music listeners and earning them a growing fanbase. The Young Rapscallions have been performing across the US, proving their worth as serious musicians and earning rave reviews for their debut album, “Everything Vibrates.” The band has a new EP in the works, which according to guitarist Nick Chamian demonstrates their recently matured sound, and is planning an upcoming 2012 tour.

The Young Rapscallions invited ChinaShop to the notorious garage to sit in on a rehearsal and to chat about their musical endeavors. On our conversational agenda was the upcoming EP, titles to their songs having nothing to do with the lyrics, and being named after a nickname for Nick’s dog.

Chris and Jon, you’ve known each other since elementary school. When did you start jamming together?

Chris: I’ve known Jon since elementary school but we never jammed. We just kind of existed with each other. Nick and I started jamming like 5 years ago.

Nick: We knew each other in middle school so that was kind of the evolution of all of it. And then we started playing when we were in 10th grade/11th grade, kind of just messing around. So yeah about 5 or 6 years ago.

And then how did you guys all hook up together to form the band?

Taylor: We were all school friends and just kind of started hanging out.

Chris: I fell like you [Taylor] always wanted to learn an instrument and then you became the bass player.

So Taylor, you recently learned the bass then?

Taylor: I started playing bass when he Chris started playing drums.

Jon: All 3 of us actually started our instruments around the same time. I sort of picked it up right when the band started. I’ve always sung in my life but never for a band. Nick’s been doing music for a long time, since he was like 2.

So you formed in 2007 and were busy learning instruments, getting the sound established and all that. Has it been really just in the last year that you’ve been getting more serious about playing shows?

Nick: Yeah. I think within the last year, we’ve just started to scratch at the surface of defining our own kind of sound. The songs that we first wrote, we don’t really play any of those anymore because it was like when we were first learning. They’re very very basic but now we’re starting to really hit it hard. I was also in another band before that was very serious but that broke up so I told these guys that “we’re gonna do it now!” This is the new thing.

Is this the garage where all the rehearsals take place?

Chris: Yeah.

Chris, is this your garage or your parents?

Chris: No it’s mine. I took it over from my parents. They don’t come in here anymore.

Tell me a little bit about the debut album, Everything Vibrates.

Nick: We recorded it like 2 years ago, so it’s kind of old but it’s a good representation of where we were at that time. And that album is a lot of the old songs. I’d say we don’t play more than half of that album.

Taylor: At least half.

Nick: It was a good experience to kind of get everything down and get a full length going. We’re working on a 5 song EP right now that is almost done and is yet to be titled. We’re very excited about that because it’s more of a clearer representation of where we’re at right now.

Do you have an ETA on when you’ll have that done?

Nick: Probably end of the year.

So it’s a very different sound than your previous stuff?

Nick: Yeah. I think so. It’s only 5 songs but we’re trying to do the whole kind of Pink Floyd thing where every song goes into one another so it all just flows – 15 minutes of just continuous sound.

Is there a song on the debut album that you’d say best represents your sound or has it evolved completely past that?

Taylor: No. There’s a couple.

Chris: “Walking Phoenix” and “Crumbum.”

Taylor: And “Tread This Water.”

Chris: Those are some songs that we definitely still play.

How would you describe your music to someone that’s never heard you before?

Nick: We usually just say garage rock.

Chris: Because we play in a garage.

Nick: Rock is a good blanket for everything because every musician who you ask is influenced by different things. It’s hard to pick just one thing because I know that Taylor is influenced by heavy music like The Melvins and I really like a lot of more mellow like Motown and funk music. We all kind of meet in between on all that so rock is just a good blanket to cover everything.

Being friends for a while, have you ever gotten into trouble together? Any good stories from back in the day?

Chris: We’re not badass. We get in a lot of arguments with each other… A lot of tiffs.

Over band stuff or in general?

Chris: Over band stuff. And then we’re away from each other for an hour and then we go see a movie and it’s fine.

Is it true that you were named after a nickname for someone’s dog?

Nick: Yeah that was my dog. I just called him that and then it was a thing for a while that we said and it happened to be a thing that we said around the time that the band was forming and it just kind of worked.

Do people have their own ideas about what the band name means?

Jon: Oh yeah.

Chris: Do they? What do they say?

Jon: They think that we are crazy kids. I mean just taking what a rapscallion is literally.

Taylor: I find that most people don’t even know what a rapscallion means. And I’m like “a ruffian.”

What is “Walking in Phoenix” about?

Chris: Lyrically or the name? Because we have a lot of songs where the title of the song does not matter what the lyrics are.

Jon: We pick our titles in a very random way.

Chris: Whatever sounds cool.

Jon: Whoever has the idea and if we all like it, we’re cool with it.

Nick: We had a song called “Running” and we wrote this song kind of around the time so we called this one “Walking.” We called it “Walking Phoenix” like Joaquin Phoenix, the actor. I think it was around the time where he was doing his whole crazy rapper thing.

Jon: Lyrically, I can go into details but I like to let people think what they want. It’s just about a girl screwing over a guy.

So you make songs and then just kind of roundtable whoever has the most creative title?

Nick: Yeah. I mean it always depends. The songwriting process is very organic in the way that it comes to be. It’s always different.

Chris: I mean there are a lot of times where he comes in with an idea that he recorded on his cell phone and when he records it on his cell phone, he just types in something random to save it in his phone and we take that name.

Jon: A lot of time that sticks. Yeah!

That’s cool! I hate when you listen to songs and the name is continuously repeated over and over again in the chorus.

Jon: Oh yeah. I don’t think we have any songs where we say any of our titles in the songs.

Chris: The lyrics of the song “One Hard Push” are about Nick’s old band, The Harm, that broke up but the title itself is about the last thrust into your lover.

Do you guys have a pretty loyal fan base? Any crazy fans yet?

Nick: We’re still developing that. Within the past year, I’d say we’ve definitely got some more fans for ourselves. We did have these 2 girls at our last show who flew in from London and they were like, “We came to see you.”

Taylor: This is the second time they’ve done that actually.

Jon: And I was like, “You guys must have had like a wedding or something going on.”

Chris: Or they live in Burbank and are just making it up.

What’s the strangest place you’ve played so far?

Chris: I think Seattle was the weirdest venue.

Nick: In Seattle, we played in what turned out to be a nightclub and nobody wanted rock music.

Jon: The DJ stopped and was like “The Young Rapscallions.” We played literally 2 songs and the DJs came back.

Taylor: It was like a smoke break for people.

Nick: But the Stork Club in Oakland was weird. It was just a weird bizarre show.

Why was that bizarre?

Nick: I don’t want to insult anyone in Oakland but Oakland was just kind of a sketchy show for us. And we played probably the worst show of our lives.

What’s your biggest on stage blooper so far?

Chris: I’ve dropped multiple sticks, which is always horrible.

Nick: I had one moment I remember at the Viper Room where I end a solo with hitting all the strings to kind of just make noise and the moment that I hit all the strings, my guitar just fell off the strap and kind of smashed to the floor.

Chris: But everybody after the show was like “That was so badass.”

Nick: It was a good moment but then the guitar was totally fucked up the rest of the set and wouldn’t stay in tune.

Chris: There was one moment when he [Nick] was like, “Taylor, I think you’re out of tune.” And Taylor was like, “No I think you’re out of tune.”

What’s on the agenda for 2012 for the band?

Nick: We’re gonna do a 2-3 week west coast thing. We’re gonna go up to Arizona and Nevada and NorCal where we’ve kind of made a little home for ourselves and continue just writing and playing and releasing music.

Words by Nicole Pajer (@NicolePajer). Photos by Catie Laffoon (@CatieLaffoon).

When heads were quickly turned, we had Lindberg plop on top of a motorcycle in her fantastic glittery gold outfit for an impromptu parking lot photo shoot. She was a good sport, initially concerned about the bike falling over or getting beat up by its most likely musclebound owner, but happily played along. The best shot of all was when Lindberg asked if it was OK if we photographed her “listening to the motorcycle’s heartbeat.”

Check out our feature interview with Lindberg below:

How do you describe your sound?

I think it’s easy for others to describe our sound because we don’t create our sound to say, “Oh let’s do this,” it’s something that happens. For us, it’s called music. We have a lot of different influences so it’s got a little bit of different genres. It’s got something groovy. It’s something soulful. It’s got something jazzy. It’s got something electronic…a little bit of different things.

Your first show was opening for Amy Winehouse in Copenhagen. How was that experience?

It was terrifying. It was a really cool big venue and we had rehearsed like two times. We had six songs done and we had a booking agency and we sent it out and they asked if we’d like to have that support gig. We didn’t even have the band complete yet and we had a week and played 20 minutes like 1,2,3,4. I don’t remember that much from it.

It was all a blur?

I remember I actually wore really high heels but Amy had thick carpet on stage and heels stick and I was like a robot standing there in the middle. I was concentrating on keeping the balance right.

You didn’t fall? You survived?

Yeah exactly but I walked out like someone who peed her pants trying not to fall.

You have a big band…

6 members!

Is that a lot to travel with?

We don’t have that much [equipment] but I mean it’s a lot of people. Then again you have more people to talk to and hang out with. So if you were like “OK I need some other energy” then you turn to the left and then you talk to the person there and then to the right and you have more there.

How did the band form?

The main core is me and the bass player Lars. We are the creative part and are behind it all. We knew each other from Copenhagen’s music scene and we were friends and one day we started playing together. We did other stuff apart and Lars had some songs and he played them for me and I really liked them. We gave it all we got and brought in our friends so it’s a big band but we are two people behind it but we’re not a duo. We see ourselves as a band.

Do you two do most of the writing?

We do all the creative stuff and they are live.

Tell us about your on stage fashion. I love your glittery leggings…

I bought them two years ago in New York and I toured with them at one point and then found them in the closet and thought I’m gonna bring them this time to tour as well. You know, sometimes you find your favorites again and then you use them. I also have this [points to glittery jacket] and it’s all glitter so I’m completely covered in glitter but it’s not real gold, it’s fake.

Is there anything that you always wear on stage?

I have a habit of wearing sunglasses for the first song. It’s not that I’m afraid not to wear them; I just like it.

You’ve had a lot of songs placed in American TV shows and in an iPod commercial. What was the coolest place that you’ve gotten to hear one of your songs?

I really like all of it. None of it has been shown in Denmark where I’m from so I’ve actually never watched it on TV, only on the Internet.

Do they have the same shows over there?

Yeah but I don’t have a TV.

Did you get a lifetime supply of free iPods for having “Around The Bend” featured in the iPod Touch commercial?

I wish. I wish. We got an iPod.

What’s next for the band? Are you finally releasing your new material?

Yeah! It’s done. It’s ready. It’s out there. It’s gonna come out for The States January 31st, the new album, and a few weeks ago, we released a track called “Major” that you can download for free on the web page.

What’s your favorite audience to play for?

Of course there is a difference between some places. In some places, people are not open to dance and in other places, people are more free and loose. It’s hard to say when and where because it depends on the weekday and lots of things. We just like to play for people that express that they us to play for them. It’s fun when people are moving and grooving. You can enjoy it by standing completely still and just watching but it’s a strange feeling if you’re on stage and starring at them. We really like when people are active.

Is there anything in particular that inspires your lyrics?

Our lyrics are not the diaries of me and Lar’s life. It’s something we create – a world we create. The new album is like a soundtrack for us, you know if you play it, and all the characters and the songs have this feeling of a world we created. We’re from Denmark, a northern country and it’s cold, and we dream away and are fascinated by the rise and the fall and the big world and spy movies, gangster movies, and you know something that we don’t have but is fascinating. We create what we want.

What’s the craziest thing that has happened to you on the road in a while?

The other day we had some fans that created an Asteroids car. They met through the Internet and they painted it with us and the lyrics and had a light installation of my sunglasses in the front. They drove it all the way to come watch us in Chicago and they became friends because of that and it was a really cool car. It was outside the venue and it said AGT on the back and it was really crazy I must say. I got to stand on it in my golden outfit and actually that night, the police came because we were too loud outside with the car and 10 minutes before the show, our saxophone player felt ill. He was picked up by an ambulance and the fire department and he went to the hospital and so we couldn’t play with him. That was really crazy.

Did the police come while you were standing on top of the car in your glitter outfit?

Yeah! That was after the show but before that the fire department came 10 minutes before show and we were like “fuck what are we going to do?” And then the ambulance came. We played with one man down and then were out and then standing on the car and people around it were playing the new single really loud and the police came. That’s just the life, you know?

Words by Nicole Pajer (@NicolePajer). Photos by Catie Laffoon (@CatieLaffoon)