Choir of Young Believers Interview: SXSW 2010

Choir of Young Believers, the pride of Copenhagen, is not a choir at all but rather the voice of one Jannis Maklingiannis. And yet, his album, 'This is for the White in Your Eyes,' is indeed orchestral, with guests for strings, horns and more weaving the songwriter's folk-pop into a trippy mix that sounds melancholic yet joyous, claustrophobic yet majestic.

Before bringing the quartet version of Choir of Young Believers back to North America, Jannis explains how performing non-stop in Austin is the best way to survive SXSW.

Describe your sound in your own words.

That is a question we get a lot, but I never know what to answer and I think in general it is easier for others to describe your music than for yourself. I have all these thoughts and emotions that I connect with the songs, so if I really was to describe our sound and songs to someone it would be something crazily pretentious which would only make sense to me. So let's just call it a bunch of heart-breaky love songs.

How did your band form?

My old band broke up, I wrote some songs and asked around if some friends wanted to help me out, they all said yes and here we are!

What are your musical influences?

I don't know, but right now I am listening to Chris Bell, the Doors, I Got You On Tape, Sade, Townes van Zandt, Avi Buffalo, Big Star and the new Under Byen record and it is all very inspiring.

How did you come up with your band name?

Jesus tipped me off while I was on a heavy LSD trip.

How many SXSW gigs are you scheduled to play and what's in your festival survival kit?

I don't really know actually. I have heard of five or six, and there may be more. But I think that a couple of shows a day would be nice. And that is actually also an important part of our survival kit for the festival, I mean to play a lot and have something to do so you don't get too paranoid by all the people. Last year we also went to the amazing Barton Springs, so tiny red Speedos will definitely also be a part of our festival survival kit. Then, of course, booze and drugs.

What's your biggest vice?

I am from Denmark and do not know what vice means!

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Queen is all that I can think of right now.

Beatles or Stones?

The Doors of course!!!

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

Two weeks ago in Paris I saw a guy spit at a three-year-old kid in the face in the metro. He was definitely crazy.