Headdress Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 6th 2010 9:57AM by Dan Marsicano
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Listening to Headdress is quite the trippy experience. Mixing ambient sounds, soft acoustic guitars and heavy, droning melodies, the Texas duo weaves a musical journey that transcends genres and labels. Ahead of the band's SXSW appearance, Spinner recently spoke with guitarist Caleb Coy about the band's formation, the creation of their latest psychedelic masterpiece, 'Lunes,' and what 2010 holds for Headdress.

Describe Headdress's sound in your own words.

Communing with the divine.

How did the band form?

On the south fork of the Yuba River in the nation of northern California.

What are your musical influences?

Minimalism, drone and the blues.

Is there one album that made you want to pick up a guitar?

No, my pops played as far back as I can remember. I give him the credit.

How did you come up with the band's name?

Throwing a Frisbee. We released our first EP under the name Worship, but didn't want to be confused with the infamous German doom outfit, so we came up with Headdress.

Which do you prefer, working in the studio or playing live? Why?

Both, because we play live in the studio, but I dig it when a crowd digs it too. It becomes more ceremonial. It's all just meditation to me.

Tell us a little bit about the creation of Headdress's latest album, 'Lunes.'

We holed up in this basement studio in the woods of upstate New York in the dead of winter for three days, and 'Lunes' just came out. We didn't want to go into the recording with specific songs in mind. We wanted to make one whole piece that you had to listen to start to finish.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Late '80s country.

Beatles or Stones?

Sabbath.

What does 2010 hold for Headdress?

A new record, a proper US tour and hopefully Europe.

If you could tour with one band, past or present, who would it be and why?

German Oak, because they made one of my favorite records of all time and then just disappeared.

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