Uninhabitable Mansions Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 9th 2010 2:00PM by Summar Ghias
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Indie rock outfit Uninhabitable Mansions is a 'triple threat' of the artsy variety. The Brooklyn-based group reigns in on multiple artistic talents with their umbrella organization of the same name, acting as part art collective, part band and part book publishers. The eclectic band consists of musicians from other successful acts such as Au Revoir Simone, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Radical Dads and Dirty on Purpose. Spinner spoke with vocalist Robbie Guertin and guitarist Chris Diken prior to their SXSW gig, to find out how they juggle their many endeavors, their personal musical playground and the country wallpaper that inspired the band's name.

Describe your sound in your own words.

I guess we sound like indie rock. We sound like boys and girls on a playground with a school in the background. The school looks like it might be fall down in a minute, and for some reason they've got all their mom's pots and pans with them. It's interesting stuff.

How did your band form?

Robbie: Chris and I have played together since school in 2001 and when Chris moved to New York, we decided we should probably start a real band. Our friend Danny was originally the first drummer, then we became friends with Annie and got Tyler (who plays in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah with me) to play with us too– and our original drummer Danny went to medical school and then Doug joined in.

Uninhabitable Mansions actually started as a art project, we did a window display for this art fair in Chicago. Chris writes stories, and his wife Sarah makes stuff as well. I'd say since 2006, it kind of evolved to be many things. Annie and Tyler joined in the late fall of 2008. So we do both art and music and it's all kind of just evolved.

What are your musical influences?

The Pixies, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Yo La Tengo, Pavement, and the Clean.

How did you come up with your band name?

Chris: There's a type of wallpaper that has all these little cottages or country houses- it is the kind of wallpaper that you see in suburban homes or at a good motel, with the waterwheel attached. When I was growing up I had this wallpaper in my bedroom –I always thought they were these large mansions. I would look at all of them and think about the people that lived there and what it would take to get there. I guess years later, when I was thinking about being a kid, the name just popped into my head.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Chris: I wish Annie was here, she is the best at these questions, she's always got some kind of survival kit on hand. But I'd say my switchblade comb to keep my hair looking sharp – it's gonna be hot out there.

Robbie: A good pair of crocs – yellow or orange – and some Smart Water.

Who was your first celeb crush?

Frank Black and Michael Jackson.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I stand by all my musical choices, but Crash Test Dummies, you know that song "Mmm Mmm Mmm"...and then Arrested Development the band, the song "Mr. Wendal" – it's better than "Arrested Development" the show.

Beatles or Stones?

Chris: The Stones.

Robbie: Beatles – I like them better.

Chris: Lindsay, our bandmate in Radical Dads, has a Stones t-shirt on right now, so he's outnumbered.

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

Robbie: One time playing a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show in England, the crowd got so crazy, it was in a small room, this guy was standing behind the PA where he wasn't supposed to be and it fell, we were trying to get him to the ER because he was bleeding, but he was just psyched to be there and happy we were talking to him.

Chris: We have a slow song called "Static State." One time we played it at a show and this couple near the front started making out. Nine months later, a baby entered the world. They named him Umtonio.

I noticed that you all are in other bands as well. Robbie, how do you juggle your work with Clap your Hands Say Yeah and with Uninhabitable Mansions? I know Annie is in Au Revoir Simone as well..

Robbie: It seems to work for the most part, it's because there are so many other things going on that they balance each other out – Annie is going out of town now – one thing kind of picks up and another thing kind of slows down and everything feeds everything else, in a way if one person is really busy, then that would be annoying – but this has worked out really well for us all.

And you also make art? What kind of art?

Chris: We make artists books a lot, we have a bunch of them on our website, so we've published some stories and we do printmaking. I guess the content evolves as we go on. Uninhabitable Mansions has become this umbrella and it's a way we can put art out there.

Who are you most excited to see play and which band are you hoping you'll have a chance encounter with at SXSW this year?

Chris: We are excited to see Slow Club, whom we are playing with, as well as Joan of Arc, Kristen Schaal, and Broken Social Scene, all of whom we are not playing with. We hope to have a chance encounter with The Antlers and Crystal Antlers to settle this bony appendage issue once and for all.

Summar Ghias is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.