Woodhands Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 8th 2010 11:45PM by Joshua Ostroff
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It's hard to believe Woodhands' synth-fired and swagger-fuelled dance music comes courtesy of only two people. But singer-keytarist Dan Werb and disco drummer Paul Banwatt (also of Rural Alberta Advantage) combine like Voltron into an electro robot that demands listeners get their groove on.

Their 2008 debut 'Heart Attack' won fans ranging from bedroom-bloggers to Q magazine (which declared them one of the "10 Best New Bands On Earth") but Woodhands came back harder on their sophomore record.

'Remorsecapade' amps up their electronic soundscapes to practically premillennial rave levels while Web's punk-infused singing dares to delve into emotions beyond boogying down. At SXSW, the duo plan to deliver on the record's promise with their infamously ferocious (and sample-free) live show.

Describe your sound in your own words

Dan: Guerrilla electro-pop.

Paul: Anything but "indietronica," despite what our press release says.
How did your band form? Paul: Dan was Woodhands for years before we met...

Dan: We met each other on a stage. I had just played an ambient electro set and Paul was setting up to play with the Rural Alberta Advantage. As we crossed each other, we gazed into each other's eyes and that was it.

What are your musical influences?

Paul: Led Zeppelin and Crystal Waters

Dan: Kraftwerk and hip-hop. When I decided I wanted to make electronic music, I hadn't actually listened to any. It was a pragmatic choice. It seemed like the only way to make cool music alone for a guy who didn't have much of a voice to start out with. So I went out and grabbed the entire Kraftwerk discography, sat down with my pen, and started taking notes. I also love the energy of hip-hop and the way that a good MC works outside of the songs to get a crowd amped. That energy is something that we try to replicate in our own idiosyncratic way.

How did you come up with your band name?

Dan: It was initially a joke answer in the case that someone would ask me why I wasn't better at piano.

What's your biggest vice?

Dan: Envy. I'm a musician, c'mon!

Paul: "Vice" is fake.

What's in your festival survival kit? Dan: Earplugs, eye mask, a good book, a pillow, and significant amounts of drink tickets.

Paul: Naproxen and water

Who was your first celeb crush?

Dan: Janet Jackson, when she was on the cover of 'Rolling Stone' with those hands on her boobs.

Paul: Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Paul: Right now, KeSha.

Dan: Three-hour long minimalist operas.

Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Paul: Beatles.

Dan: Stones. Me and my special ex-girlfriend used to get a little Pavlovian when we listened to the second half of 'Tattoo You.' 'Nuff said?

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

Paul: The number of times we've almost died is starting to disturb me. A couple of weeks ago we were run off the road by a truck that was passing a car going the other way.