Black Feelings Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 15th 2010 3:03PM by Marko Begovic
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Black Feelings, a post-punk new wave band hailing from Montreal, released their self-titled album in October 2009. Spinner recently caught up with drummer/vocalist Owain Lawson in advance of the group's appearance at SXSW 2010.

Describe your sound.

Brain-dead new wave and psychic punk rock. Weirdly spiritual and shimmery music grounded in outdated aesthetic values.

How did your band form?

We're old friends. We've known each other for, like, ten years. Kyle and I used to be in a tour-crazy video art/f---ed-up rock band called Les Angles Morts. We started Black Feelings because nothing was happening in Montreal anymore and we wanted to make a space for everyone to freak out and feel free.

What are your musical influences?

If you asked the other dudes, you'd get very, very different answers, but I think the main influences on Black Feelings are This Heat, Amon Duul II, PiL, Anne Clark, the Del-Byzanteens, Earth, Jackie-O Motherf---er. Also looming large as inspirations are all our friends' bands -- AIDS Wolf, Dead Wife, Grand Trine, Tonstartssbandht.

How did you come up with your band name?

Seriously, it came to me in a dream. I know a lot of people like to say that but it really, really did!

What's your biggest vice?

Fisherman's Friend [throat lozenges] and Advil Liqui-Gels. We also drink, like, a ton.

For those who haven't seen you live, what can they expect from your shows?

We have psychedelic video projections featuring naked people saturated in LSD, and we are surprisingly friendly.

What rock 'n' roll cliche are you hoping to avoid?

Hiring a lyricist.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

The German hard dance band Scooter. When raver DJs yell out "Who's got a whistle?!" that's hilarious.

Beatles or Stones?

I think that people who say Ringo is the worst drummer in history are just super ignorant. There are a million session drummers who could play circles around him, but did Plastic Ono Band or Wings sound any better for having these milquetoast competent drummers? No one plays the drums like Ringo, and that makes him a rare gem.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

We camped on the beach in St. Augustine, Fla., in between shows. Kyle had never opened a champagne bottle before. He thought you were supposed to shake it up like at the end of the Grand Prix, and we ran screaming into the ocean soaked in champagne. Happy memories!

What other acts would you love to tour with?

I'd like to tour with our labelmates Blessure Grave and Acid Mother's Temple. They're both amazing bands. There's a band from Montreal called Tonstartssbandht. Nothing would make me happier than to go on permanent tour with them.

What do you hope people will take away from your music?

Because we have this weird name people think we're going to be huge bummer, but I sincerely hope we make people happy and excited to keep trying hard to do the best they can in life. I think that's the most important thing in life, to be really inspired and keep your brain working and ignore everyone and everything that wants to make you slow and ignorant and full of hate. I hope we do that, and I hope we make people feel like there's liquid hot LSD shooting up their spine and melting their brain with ecstasy.

Marko Begovic is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.