La Strada Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 10th 2010 11:07PM by Joseph P. Larkin
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Formed in early 2007, the Brooklyn quintet La Strada, which describes its sound as "indie rock and folk with a string section," is already making waves. La Strada will be playing five shows at SXSW this year, and Spinner used this auspicious occasion as an excuse to interrogate the group. Proving La Strada is a democracy, the band members took turns answering our probing questions.

Describe your sound in your own words.

Ted: La Strada is a bright and beautiful fire. A dance of light and dark, creation and destruction. Mostly epic. Indie rock and folk with a string section.

How did your band form?

Daniel: We were all on the same L train, we all had our instruments with us, we got stuck under the East River, the rest is history.

What are your musical influences?

Brady: I'd say we're musically influenced by everything from pots falling downstairs to Velcro. We also collectively draw lots of inspiration from musicians such as Salif Keita, Serge Gainsbourg, Tom Waits, Ennio Morricone, Paul Simon, Ravel, Led Zeppelin, Phillip Glass, The Beatles, Bob Marley and countless other superheroes and supervillains.

How did you come up with your band name?

Devon: We were playing Ouija and that's what came out.

What's your biggest vice?

Devon: ChapStick, cocaine and music.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Daniel: ChapStick, cocaine and music.

Who was your first celeb crush?

Isaiah: Definitely Nancy Kerrigan. She had a great triple Lutz. I used to kiss the TV screen when she was on, no lies.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Ted: In the safe confines of our rehearsal space walls, thirty-minute afro-pop freak-outs. Out in the real world, it's Depeche Mode and that weird Paul Simon period between 1977 and 1985.

Beatles or Stones?

James: Beatles.

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

Isaiah: Getting held up for 8 hours at a random Canadian border crossing. Not crazy, just made us all crazy.

Joseph P. Larkin is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.