Signals Interview: SXSW 2010

While the Signals are technically a new band, the members of the group have been playing together for years. Though the trio was once known as The Mae Shi, cousins Jon and Bill Gray, along with their friend and adopted family member Jacob Cooper, have just begun their first official tour as the Signals and are playing this year's SXSW. Spinner talked to Bill about their first tour, what he has in common with a certain Douglas Adams character, and one weird night in France.

Could you describe your sound in your own words?

It's rock music, but its funky rock at the same time and then its punk rock. We're trying to find a congruent affect that ties it all together, but we haven't found it yet. Hopefully we'll get it soon.

How did you guys get together?

We've been together for a while, we were all in a different band called the Mae Shi before this, and we were all under the same record label for that other band. We've only been together since last summer as The Signals.

What are your musical influences?

I'd say our biggest influence would be any sort of glam rock type band, I don't we could be pinned down to one group.

How did you come up with your band name?

I don't know. It just sort of appeared and we all agreed on it.

How many times have you been to SXSW?

The last two years we went when were in our other band, but this will obviously be the first time we've gone as the Signals.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Do you know Douglas Adams? He wrote the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? One thing you need you when you're hitchhiking through the galaxy is your towel. It's comforting when you're traveling, because you don't know what the hell is going to happen, or when you might need to cleanup a spilled beer. I've forgotten the towel on almost every tour, but this time I've got one and I feel like I'm all set.

Who was your first celeb crush?

Winona Ryder. You know that movie with the little kid who wants to play football? I was like 10 when that movie came out.....well I was four, but I was probably 10 the first time I saw it. But I liked her in that. And then she was in on Beetlejuice. I don't like her that much now, but back then, yeah.

Beatles or Stones?

That's a tough question. I guess I'd have to say 70's Stones, or Disco Stones.

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

There's a lot. I have to tell a story that if my mom reads this, she's not going to wonder if I'm alright. But onetime I was in France, and I was exploring this huge building, and I ended up on the roof. And I was standing on this huge piece of sheet metal that was loose. And there was this guy, who started freaking out, and he starts yelling at me, and I didn't know what he was saying but I was apparently in trouble. I ended up being fine, but it was pretty crazy.

Oliver VanDervoort is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.