Crystal Fighters Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 23rd 2010 8:00PM by Maggie Gryske
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Weaving a shimmery new cloth from bristly UK electronica and the decidedly more organic sounds of Basque folk music, the members of Crystal Fighters will have you shaking it on the dance floor all night and Googling "txalaparta" in the morning. Spinner recently caught up with the members of Crystal Fighters to discuss their unconventional influences and their plans to bring their sweaty, cathartic live show to SXSW.

Describe your sound in your own words.

We play fast, percussive, bass-driven dance music, heavily influenced by Basque music.

How did your band form?

Crystal Fighters was formed after one of our singers Laure was left a notebook by her grandfather after his death. The book contained an incomplete opera which Laure ended up showing to us and we were amazed by the world of Basque music and mythology alluded to in it, so we researched it further and started to make music.

How did you come up with your band name?

It is the title of one of the parts of the opera.

What are your musical influences?

We have been listening to a lot of music from the so-called "golden age" of Spanish pop music, particularly the early '80s, as this is the period referred to a lot in Bakar's [Laure's grandfather] notes and is also brilliant.

What's your biggest vice?

Bass music is a worrying and dangerous addiction.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Pair of shorts.

Who was your first celeb crush?

They're all hot.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Shredding.

Beatles or Stones?

Beatles.

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

We were at party last night hosted by students in Dublin that was spread across eight hotel rooms. The manager's tone this morning was pretty crazy.

Maggie Gryske is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.