Phil and the Osophers Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 7th 2010 9:18PM by Tessa Metayer
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When asked what genre they fit in, members of Phil and the Osophers say "fun." The band, comprised of Phil Radiates (guitar, vocals), Kevin Estrada (drums), Gus Iversen (bass) and Lizbeth Marquez (keyboard, percussion) will have a chance to prove that label when they perform at SXSW. Spinner recently spoke to Radiates, whose band is originally from San Francisco but now calls Brooklyn, N.Y. home.

Describe your sound in five words or less.

Gangly pop with philosophical lyrics.

How did you come up with your name?

I remember starting music at the age of 15, and it kinda started as a joke, and it's just stuck. [Our name] is something you couldn't get rid of even if you wanted to.

How did you break into music?

My dad is a blues guitar player. He had a lot of instruments, and I started with the drum set. Then with the guitar after my dad brought one home. He helped guide me [into music], and I learned the rest on my own.

Describe a typical show for the band.

We're very varied from one song to the next.

What are your musical influences?

I like the blues a lot, especially Lightnin' Hopkins. I also like jazz music, along with Kate Bush and the heavy lyricists, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

What five songs are you listening to now?

'Silver Soul' by Beach House ; 'Parties in Chelsea,' by Television Personalities; 'Bedazzled' by Crystal Silk; 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns' by Joni Mitchell ; 'Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow' by Felt

What's in your festival survival kit?

I'm gonna travel light, so I would just bring my guitar, underwear a pair of sunglasses, tacos at every meal and P.G. Wodehouse's "Thank You, Jeeves." I don't think I can bring it on the plane, but I'd also bring a small knife.

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

We were driving somewhere in Illinois during a hot summer. We noticed a sign for a panty party. It immediately got our attention. We drove as much as we could possibly could and began walking a trail of panties. When we got to the door, it was a bunch of moms that wouldn't let us in. I think we stole a couple of panties for the road.

Which performer would be your dream collaboration with?

Kate Bush or Joanna Newsom, I like their voices a lot and they have an incredible sense of style. Bob Dylan also, but he wouldn't want anything to do with my mess.

What is it about your music that you want people to leave with?

Just a sense of the outlook we have. The lyrics come from a thought-out perspective. I'm not trying to teach or preach, but I do put a lot of work in what I try to say in a song.

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