Slim Cessna's Auto Club Interview: SXSW 2010

Highly praised for their live performances and lyrical satire, the genre-bending collaboration known as Slim Cessna's Auto Club was once crowned by Spin magazine as "...the best band at SXSW." The only rides this club rolls with are country folk, rockabilly, speed punk and a little Southern gospel rag-top on the weekends. Once again, rolling out of Denver, Slim Cessna's Auto Club look to maintain their kingdom with three performances in Austin this March. Spinner spoke with Slim about what cranks his drivetrain.

Describe your sound in your own words.

I don't know if it describes the sound or more of just everything, but we play folk music. We tell stories about our people. And, often times, it goes places that we didn't expect -- but where that is, as far as how to describe what that sounds like? I think that every song is different, so it's hard to say.

How did your band form?

It just started with me and some friends of mine. We were all in other bands, but we wanted to make country music. We didn't really have any goals, except for having a good time. Then that turned into ... I guess it just kept rolling. And now here we are, jeez, 18 years later, I guess? We've had different people come and go, but the band just keeps rolling.

What are your musical influences?

Musically? Gosh, there's so much. I mean, I can go back to childhood or even up to now and friends of mine that have bands. I grew up with country music, and I suppose there were times in my life when that really wasn't "cool". But everything always comes back. And I don't know if the original purpose of the band was trying to do that -- play the old country music -- but I know we were never really very good at it. So, we just became what we are now. There are other bands that have been really important, like the Gun Club -- probably my favorite band from when I was a teenager. I suppose a lot of the things we do are based off wanting to make something kind of like that. I don't know if we've ever succeeded.

How did you come up with the band name?

Out West, and in Colorad,o there's more of a kind of car culture -- hot rod car clubs and low rider clubs. I used to see the posters and see the ads in the paper, and it was always interesting to me since I could never have a really cool car because I couldn't afford it. None of us had any cool cars, so we just decided to make our own car club. It was a joke, really -- we were all just goofing around -- but it definitely stuck and we can't change it now. I guess I like it for that. It doesn't really mean anything. It's just how you know it's us.

What's your biggest vice?

Oh, it's hard. Personally, for me, smoking. I've had a hard time with it, and I have for years. I've quit for years at a time, but I can't ever stop thinking about it. It's hard, and it never stops being hard.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I don't know if I'd call it guilt, but there's music that really surprises me that I like. And I listen to it and I still feel OK about myself. I like Neil Diamond and the Carpenters and music like that -- there're a lot of interesting things and sounds that come from that period. I don't know if that's a guilty pleasure or more of an appreciation for something that surprises me.

You receive a lot of praise for your live performances. Who are some of your favorite live acts?

Recently, I went and saw the Hives with my 18-year-old son -- that's his favorite band -- and I have to say it was just a phenomenal show. They put on a show, and it was really important to them. It was important that the people were entertained, and I could relate because I feel like that's what we do. The music isn't the same, and the show isn't the same, but the importance of entertaining people is the same and I thought they were really, really great. I mean, I knew that it would be good -- the Hives are obviously a good rock band -- but I wasn't expecting to be totally blown away, and I was.

As an auto club, have any of your members recently had any Toyotas recalled?

No, but I drive a '96 Camry and it just keeps on runnin'. I think it has over 250 thousand miles, and I will swear by that car. And I'd take one of those recalled cars, too -- they're probably cheap now. And if the gas pedal sticks, I'll just throw it in neutral, and I think I'll be OK.

Stephen Dilettoso is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.