Great Big Planes Interview: SXSW 2010

He didn't know he was going to be a rock star until he answered an ad for a singer in a band. He wasn't even sure he could sing. But once he took the mic, Josh Moran knew he was destined for the big time with his sweet soaring melodies about falling in and out of love and ability to deliver polished and commercial radio-ready pop with the right sound for the time. But none of his success over the past four years has been a happy accident. It's come together by force of dogged determination, taking nothing for granted, and having the guts to roll the dice. Spinner recently talked with Josh about his journey to SXSW with his band, Great Big Planes.

When did you first know that music was going to be your life?

All through school I was into sports, never music. Then after high school, I started checking out the Jersey concert scene. A band was looking for a singer. I wasn't in college yet and thought I'd try it, like a joke. Never really sang before. We played one show and broke up a week later but I found it really fun. It fit me. I went off to college and left three weeks later. I just wanted to do music.

How did your band form?

The past four years have been a blur. Late 2006, I joined Vie Perdu with Patrick Campion who had been a high school friend. The band had a heavy progressive rock sound similar to Circa Survive. We were packing local shows and even toured with some band members from Passion Pit. It was a lot of fun but when the drummer went off to law school the band broke up. Patrick and I started writing songs and playing together with different people. I was doing a lot of networking in New York City and caught the ear of some major label executives. They flew me to LA and offered me a record deal - but as a solo only and I wanted Patrick as part of the deal. I was just forming my musical identity and I didn't feel ready to make a decision of that magnitude so I turned it down. It wasn't easy giving up hundred dollar steak dinners but the whole experience gave me confidence to give music a serious try. I was hungry to make music on my own terms. I spent the next year aggressively reaching out to everyone in the industry. I found a way into every SPIN party and made myself seen. There were all these incredible producers who let me record for next to nothing and gave me this big label sound. Early 2009, I put some tracks up on Pure Volume. In parentheses next to my name I wrote 'seeking management.' The songs topped Pure Volume's charts and got the attention of Dirk and Emily Hemsath of Working Group Management. Dirk then introduced me to my future agent who I always wanted to work with. We hooked up in Summer 2009. At the same time Patrick and I met Chad Sabo. He was so humble and nice and yet an amazingly talented multi-instrumentalist, we knew he was the one. As Great Big Planes, we went on to record the Lost One EP at Mission Sound and Kingsland Recording Studios in Brooklyn with many thanks to Jeffrey Swart, Jon Kaplan and Oliver Straus. I played solo at CMJ and then on November 22 we had our debut performance as Great Big Planes with Boys Like Girls at the Electric Factory in Philly.

How did you come up with the band name?

We put a bunch of names on a dart board and had Chad throw darts. He scored on Great Big Planes and we thought yeah, that'll catch people's ear.

Describe your sound.

John Mayer. Coldplay. Rob Thomas. We try to write honest music that people can relate to. The Lost One EP is all acoustic - guitar, tambourine, vocals. It's been doing very well, and we've sold over 2000 EPs since November. Things are moving now but we'd like to add a drummer at some point.

Beatles or Stones?

Mick Jagger by far is the most badass frontman to ever walk the earth, whereas John Lennon and Paul McCartney are the best songwriters ever. Can't choose, both are amazing.

What are your musical influences?

Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Third Eye Blind, Goo Goo Dolls, New Radicals.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Biggie Smalls, Nas, Jay-Z

Who were your first celeb crushes?

Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, Alexis Bledel

What's in your festival survival kit?

For the van, Mad Men and Curb Your Enthusiasim,for the DVD player and even though we have an Xbox 360, Chad has to have his Nintendo 64 Pokemon Stadium II.

Any vices?

Wicked things we'll never do again - fast food. It ruined our lives the last tour. I saw Supersize Me and ate it anyway. Stupid.

What's the craziest thing you've ever done on tour?

Baby powdering Chad and peanut buttering Pat.

How do you stay in touch with your fans?

Facebook, MySpace, newsletters, street teams. Not on Twitter or Tumblr yet.

What are you most looking forward to at SXSW?

I've attended SXSW before but this is the first time performing. Looking forward to playing with friends Never Shot Never and The Ready Set. Psyched that Stone Temple Pilots are playing. Free food, open bars. Sixth street is a mess with suits stumbling around everywhere.

What's next?

In May, we start touring with the Bamboozle Road Show across US and Canada. It's huge with awesome bands. Third Eye Blind, Boys Like Girls, All Time Low, LMFAO and others are playing. Really excited to be part of it.

How do you define success?

We're successful right now. We support ourselves with our music, we're best friends and love what were doing. We'll be happy a long, long time.


Martine Paris is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.