He Is We Interview: SXSW 2010

The duo of Rachel Taylor and Trevor Kelly make up the indie band He Is We. This pair was named one of Purevolume.com's Top 20 unsigned bands of 2009. Prior to their SXSW appearance, Taylor spoke to Spinner about how she and Trevor met and formed the band, and what her experiences with He Is We have meant to her.

How did your band form?

Trevor and I met while working at a music shop in Tacoma that required us to know a lot about trumpets. We, the "black sheep," obviously had no business working there and ended up bonding and confiding in each other.

Describe your sound in your own words.

It's easy music, like it said on our MySpace -- "We're like a hot cup of cocoa on a rainy day."

Who are your musical influences?

Eisley, Coldplay, Enya, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi.

Is there a meaning behind your band name?

Trevor and I would see these local bands with these cocky auras about them. They didn't want to communicate with fans or acknowledge them in any way. He Is We gets its meaning from us wanting to be like everyone else. We are so blessed and want to stand with the crowd and make someone go, "Dude, she was standing right next to me earlier, and now she's on stage."

What's upcoming for the band?

The EP is coming out, and we hope to be touring as much as we can.

Who are your musical guilty pleasures?

Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, T-Pain. Anything that's on the radio.

What moment completely caught you off guard while on tour?

At Chain Reaction, at A Scene Aesthetic show, people were screaming and singing along with us. Oh my gosh, I wanted to cry. It hit me how much power we have to do what we love.

If you could pick anyone in the music industry to work with, who would it be and why?

Kid Cudi. He's a gentleman and a scholar and a golden god of his genre.

What was the strangest thing you've ever encountered while on tour?

A tire popped on our van. Far be it from Trevor Kelly to help the guys fix a tire. Instead he stripped down to his underwear and decided to throw rocks into a Burger King cup.

How would you describe the dynamic between you and Trevor?

It's like the movie 'Dumb and Dumber.' I'm Lloyd to his Harry. He will say something crazy, and I'm the only one who can make sense of it.


Travis Boyer is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.