PIMPBOT Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 24th 2010 9:06PM by John Haefele
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Hailing from Honolulu's bustling capital, Waikiki, six-piece band PIMPBOT pump out a unique brand of schizophrenic ska/punk that welds chilled out saxophone solos with full on reggae infused thrash rock. Their songs are down to earth honest, going as far as exploring the awkward tension that hovers the morning after a one night stand. Songs like this remind us that these are just normal guys with abnormal talent, who happen to realize that even the most mundane occurrences of everyday life can be an adventure. Here's what members Fernando and Eric had to say about performing at SXSW, their music, the spoils of Hawaiian weather and meeting supernatural beings while on tour.

Describe your sound in your own words.

PIMPBOT's sound has been constantly evolving over the years. Our sound is very chameleon-like, as our writing style adapts to our environment. The band started out playing a lot of Beastie Boys-esque hip hop and funk because we would only be booked at underground hip hop hop shows. As we started to record, our sound captured the 90s ska boom, ska/punk influence. By the time it came to record 'Admit One,' we had a bit more of a straight rock sound because we played less ska shows and performed with more grunge, metal, and pop alternative rock bands. Recently we added a full horn section, so now we have a rock-steady ska sound mixed with some thrash punk. Through all of our changes in the last 9 years, one strain of consistency in our sound is that we've always embraced minor chords with angry lyrics. Whichever genre we attempt to tackle, we make it sound evil.

How did your band form?

PIMPBOT was the product of its predecessor, 'The Honolulu Pub Allstars.' Fernando and Rylan were college classmates and decided to keep a small batch of songs they wrote together and experimented playing with various musicians in Honolulu's underground scene. The line-up has changed dramatically over the years, with a total count of 13 members having come into the band at one point or another.

What are your musical influences?

Rock-steady reggae, two-tone ska, punk, and gangster rap.

How did you come up with your band name?

It's a tribute to the character that was featured on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien.'

What's your biggest vice?

Hard alcohol and oily bar food.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Fernando: Socks, lip balm, nail clippers.

Eric: Stickers, business cards, sharpies. Deodorant...what's that?

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Fernando: Vanessa Carlton.

Eric: Matchbox 20.

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

Fernando: I got so drunk at a show in Portland, I blacked out at the bar and woke up in my underwear in my friend's bathroom. I tried to pee all over his apartment, so the band locked me in the bathroom and I vomited all over myself.

Eric: Meeting a supernatural being in Gage, New Mexico after SXSW 2009. We were the only van pumping gas in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden, someone appeared and mentioned they loved our set and told us to call him up in Los Angeles. He gave us his card and all it said was, "The Overlord."

Does being based in Hawaii make touring harder?

Yes, incredibly. Most rock bands in Hawaii have to choose to either record an album or tour for that year because there's only enough money to do one of them. The more members your band has, the harder it is to jump across the Pacific -- in either direction.

Has Hawaiian weather spoiled you in any way?

Yes! We pack 2 jackets on tour because Hawaii residents are known to shiver at temperature below 60 degrees.

John Haefele is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.