The Golden Boys Interview: SXSW 2010

Imagine cowboys shifting their heels so fast that dust instantly envelops the room, and you'll have some idea what sort of imagery the music of the Golden Boys inspires. Originally from Canyon Lake, Texas, the Golden Boys have been dropping their rock-y, country, psychedelic sound on Austin and other parts of the US for about five years now. In a recent interview, Spinner talked with four of the five current Golden Boys: Matthew Hoopengardner (guitar), Wes Coleman (guitar and vocals), Patrick Travis (drums), and Nathan "Ney Ney" Arbeitman (keys). True to their musical spirit, the boys served up one hell of a fun time in advance of their SXSW stint.

How would you describe your sound?

It's rock. We've definitely gotten more punk rock, psychedelic. A lot of people would describe it as almost always on the verge of falling apart, but never really doing it. Once someone said it's like throwing your record collection down the stairs.

How did your band form?

Matt Hoopengardner: I was living and working out in Canyon Lake for a buddy [named James]. My old band had broken up and James played music and wanted to learn to play drums, and I was going through kind of a bad breakup, so I had a lot of material. Wes was working out there too and he would stay over, and after dinner we would play music at James' house. Then Nathan started coming out, and eventually I moved to Austin. When that happened James quit, because he couldn't move back and forth. Then we recorded a couple of records and a couple of years ago we got Mr. Travis [Patrick] here. Bryan [bassist] came along somewhere in there.

What are your musical influences?

Local Texas music, like 13th Floor Elevators, and our friends' bands, like Spider Bags, Gospel Truth, Strange Boys, Jaill, Follow by Static.

How did you come up with your band name?

MH: We were driving around in James' truck, drinking beer -- which you shouldn't be doing -- thinking, what are we going to call this band?

Wes Coleman: I wasn't there, but I heard the story. Matt was looking over a cliff, watching the sunset, having a beer, listening to the radio, and was like, "Golden Boys."

MH: No, first I was like, "What about the Golden Girls?"

What's in your festival survival kit?

Naps. Pizza, vitamins, Emergen-C, water.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

WC: Lady Gaga.

Patrick Travis: Sade and bad punk rock.

Nathan Arbeitman: Yellow Magic Orchestra.

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

MH: In Cincinnati once, I fell asleep in the van -- everyone had gone upstairs -- and I woke up to cops pulling me out of the van. I was in the middle of a murder scene. A cop had shot someone.

What would be your dream performance venue?

PT: I'd like to play in an amphitheater in a park with a bunch of six- to eleven-year-olds dancing and losing their minds. Not even caring about music, but just having pure fun for the sake of having fun. That's pretty much my dream show. That's pretty much why I play music.

People who write about your music give you all sorts of labels -- Texas punk, Texas rock, psychedelic -- but almost everyone links you to the word "booze."

WC: Not true. I'm straight edge.

MH: We like to have a good time. People can't articulate what it is we do. So it's kind of a default. People are like, "whiskey."

PT: I think people also associate having a good time with getting drunk. And we have a good time. But we don't endorse drinking -- unless someone wants us to endorse it. Lone Star, if you're listening.

Would you say that if I were to look into the soul of this band I would see booze, or would I see something else?

If you looked into the soul of this band you would see a teardrop hanging from a golden heart. We're passionate people, and we truly care about what we do and making music. That's the coolest thing about this band -- even if we weren't in a band together, we would still hang out together.