Low Line Caller Interview: SXSW 2010

As they gear up to play SXSW for the fourth time, the Austin, Texas natives behind Low Line Caller -- Marc Ferrino, Eddie Torres, Raz Khandpur, Jason Brint and Josh Rosenblatt -- have become festival veterans. Bolstered by the regional success of their 2008 EP, 'Hi Def Soft Core,' the group has yet to even play outside of the Lone Star state, but that hasn't stopped them from racking up the local accolades. Originally an all-instrumental, synth-heavy ensemble in 2006, the band later added singer Marc Ferrino, whose understated vocals steer Low Line Caller's brand of ethereal, experimental pop-rock. Prior to their latest SXSW gig, guitarist Eddie Torres gave Spinner the back story on the band.

Describe your sound.

Dreamy pop-rock with a lot of reverb.

What's the story behind the band name?

Good question. All I can say is that it means nothing. Kind of like that exquisite corpse experiment where you take random things and put them together to make something else.

Biggest musical influences?

We all come from different schools of music. But I'm a big fan of Ennio Morricone, doo-wop, punk, and old music from Latin America.

You were an instrumental group before adding a vocalist. How did that decision come about?

When you're instrumental, you get propositioned more from people saying, "When are you getting a singer?" or "Yo, let me do some freestyle over your beats!" Our singer, Marc, played in a band that we shared a bill with a while back. Afterwards, he mentioned how he'd like to sing in a band like ours. Then, fast forward -- we're trying to finish a record and we had all these outtakes laying around. We decide to call Marc to see if he could sing anything over them. The first one he did -- and he absolutely nailed it -- was 'Over the Counter Kids." That became the big hit off our EP. Marc kept going, we kept loving it and we eventually we asked him to go steady with Low Line Caller.

Around that same time, you also switched from double to single drums and keyboards.

Yes. We realized that with a singer in the group, our creative process had changed. At the time, there was just too much sound going on from the band, and it was getting in the way of the vocals. So we let go of the extra drummer and extra keyboardist. Sorry, Craigslist.

Being from Austin, is playing SXSW sort of the ultimate homecoming?

As a local, SXSW is a love/hate relationship. It's great being a part of something so huge. Being from Austin, you know where everything is. You can ride a bike around and check out free shows during the day, and then you get to go home to your own bed at night. At the same time, sometimes you need a break from all the people and music, but it's hard, because almost every square inch of Austin turns into a stage. Plus, your liver hates you afterward.

Austin bar of choice?

Right now, we're fans of the Eastside bar scene that's popping up: Rio Rita. The Liberty. Shangri La.

What's in your SXSW survival kit?

A flask of tequila, lighters, cigarettes, iPhone, camera, condoms, some decent sleep, aspirin and a bandana to wipe away the Texas heat.

What makes Austin's music scene stand out from the rest?

It's more localized because of the size of our city. You can check out numerous bands in a night and never have to leave a certain area. It's not like New York, where tons of stuff happens and it's all spread out over Brooklyn and Manhattan.

What's an album that the band can agree is one of the best of all-time?

The Phil Spector box set.

Any musical guilty pleasures?

Yacht rock. Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers. Except I don't think our bass player, Jason, would feel guilty listening to that stuff at all.

Craziest thing you've seen on tour?

We were playing at Emo's in Austin. I'm not really paying attention to the crowd, and all of a sudden in the middle of the song, I hear our singer yell, "That bitch is crazy!" I look up and this older woman is being thrown out by three burly bouncers. She's kicking and screaming and the guys, like cavemen, are pulling her out by her hair. Turns out she was some drunkard who randomly tried to slap the door guy for no reason. Moral of the story? Don't mess with Emo's.