Black Spiders Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 24th 2010 4:00PM by Kate Perkins
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Amidst all the trade shows, panel discussions and, of course, the non-stop parties bloating Austin for SXSW 2010, soon-to-be breakthrough bands from around the world are still the biggest part of the annual festival buzz. Take London's loudest: Black Spiders. With their debut LP in the works, frontman and one-third of the band's guitar gusto Pete "Spider" Spiby gets ready to take on Texas at SXSW 2010.

So, what kind of sounds do Black Spiders make?

Twisted, demonic "rock" with a vignette of "roll."

How did the band form?

Five mummies and five daddies saw Elvis. The rest is history.

Black Sabbath is obviously a touchstone for Black Spiders. What are your other influences?

Our musical influences range far, wide and very deep and have probably drawn from wells of styles and sounds--subconsciously, metaphorically and subliminally--but with both big toes in the classic rock waters.

What's the band's namesake?

We are named after our glorious leader, Black Spider.

Doubtless, the Black Spiders are bad boys. What's your biggest vice?

The seven deadly sins, or as we call them, "capital" vices.

What's in your SXSW festival survival kit?

A homing device, socks, two quarters, a mite of local knowledge, pocket map, a guitar pick, Durex [condoms].

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Getting away with it...while listening to Neil Diamond.

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

Besides the members of the band?

On the first day of the Wildhearts tour last September, we got a flat tire outside of Brighton. While we were waiting for the motorway services to arrive we decided to go into a Little Chef [restaurant] for some food. Mark ordered a full English breakfast--eggs, bacon, hash browns, black pudding, beans, mushrooms and sausages. You can imagine our shock when the food arrived and there was only one sausage, when the sign clearly said "Sausages"!!

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