The Color Turning Interview: SXSW 2010

Los Angeles band the Color Turning will play its first SXSW showcase with Stone Temple Pilots. This year, Alternative Press listed the group in their "100 Bands You Need to Know in 2010" special. Spinner got in touch with singer Steve Scavo to find out more about their music and their biggest vice.

Your band's sound has been described as having more in common with British artists like Coldplay than your contemporaries in Los Angeles. How would you describe your sound?

I could see how people would say that. It comes across because those are a lot of the bands we listen to. With the instrumentation and arrangements, and the way they write and arrange their music, it's who we model our songs after. We've definitely taken from those bands. We don't shy away from it too much. I rather be compared to those bands than some other American rock bands.

More and more bands have taken on influences that cross different genres, including your band. What do you think about this transition in the music scene?

When we were young, we were fans of a certain record label. When a label signed a new band, you were automatically a fan because it's under the label. I'm not sure that's necessarily true anymore. It's a lot more eclectic. Part of it is the technology thing, with iPods. Listening to whole albums or certain genres of music is kind of out the window, which is sort of dictated by the technology. I can't even tell you the last time I popped in a CD. It's so easy to access different styles of music now.

What's your biggest vice?

Aside from biting my nails, sunflower seeds and playing way too much golf ... probably those three things. I'm starting to drive the band nuts on my nail biting, and everyone else for that matter. I got really into golf. Golf is like this haunting game you'll never master. You can be like Tiger Woods and you're never good enough. It's really frustrating. At the same time, it's a total diversion from real life, similar to music.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Jumper cables, Jack Daniels, Gold Bond and I'd say a razor, but we don't typically shave when we're out on the road. And one of those neck pillows. Those things are nice.

Who is your musical guilty pleasure?

Michael McDonald. For sure, Michael McDonald. We rock that in the van as much as everything else. I hardly feel guilty about it, because he's so good.

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

Me and Garrett, our drummer, stopped in Oregon. We've been driving all night, didn't get any sleep. We were just kind of delirious. We went around this bend. It was super beautiful, and we were feeling weird, so Garett stopped and took off all his clothes, started running out just to be an idiot -- total Will Farrell move. We were taking some pictures because it was hilarious. He looked like nature boy. So then I took off my clothes. There was no one around. It was like six in the morning. And then two guys traveling through from Seattle, they get out and they take off their clothes. We were like, this is so weird, and we got back in our van and took off. I don't know if that's the craziest, but one of the funniest moments.

Your band is a little bit mysterious. Your Twitter bio says, "Things. And Stuff." For those of us who don't know your band yet, what can we expect when we come check you out?

It's really hard to write those bio things. You can never say anything there that matters. You'll see guys who are really into their songwriting and music, who play super honest, genuine music that can be super energetic at times, and super sad at times. Songs that imitate what life is all about; the ups and downs.

What would you be doing if you weren't in a band?

Right now, my day job. I'm a graphic and web designer. I just walked out to take the call. I'd be doing design or art. Or, I'd literally try to get my way to the PGA tour. Any time you can play a game as a career, that's what you'd want to do. Golf, or a ping pong player.

Any last thoughts?

Yeah. Hope to see you at SXSW. We'll be writing some new music in the coming months, looking to put out an EP over the summer hopefully. It's time for some new music.