Boom Pam Interview: SXSW 2010

What has an electric guitar, drums, a tuba and a loads of Mediterranean spice? Boom Pam! Together since 2003, the members of the Tel Aviv band recently finished their third record, which will be available in mid-2010, following their appearance at SXSW. Spinner caught up with Boom Pam's guitarist, Uri Kinrot, to discuss the group's unique sound (did we mention there's a tuba?), his vices and his week-long hiatus from vegetarianism, the cause of which, of course, is the SXSW music festival.

How did your band form?

About seven years ago, my roommate, Uzi, and I, started jamming together a lot. We knew a tuba player, Yuval "Tubi" Zolotov, from high school, so we decided to include a tuba, rather than a bass guitar. About a year ago, Uzi moved to another band, who we still play with often. Before he left, we added a drummer, Itamar Levy (The Kid). Upon Uzi's departure, Boom Pam became a trio, including a guitar, a tuba and drums.

How did you come up with the band name?

Boom Pam is a song we used to play, which was a big hit in Israel in 1969. It's a song by Aris San, a Greek immigrant to Israel, whose style was Greek via electric guitar.

Describe your sound.

It's Mediterranean, Oriental, surf rock with a tuba!

What are your musical influences?

My personal influences are Link Wray, probably my biggest influence on guitar, and Aris San. Our tuba player, Yuval, comes from a classical background, and Itamar, who is 22, thinks Black Sabbath is where it's at.

Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Stones. Definitely.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I have no guilt! I stand behind anything that I like, be it the Queens of the Stone Age or Sean Paul.

What was the first record you bought with your own money?

I grew up near Tel Aviv on the beach, so mostly I listened to and bought what I heard on the radio. My first record was Guns N' Roses, 'Appetite for Destruction,' maybe because I didn't know about Led Zeppelin then. They played Guns N' Roses on the radio, not Led Zeppelin.

What's your biggest vice?

Beer. The day I started touring is the day beer became my vice.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Survival? Austin is like heaven on earth! There's no need for surviving. It's the only place I let myself forget that I'm a vegetarian. It's all about beer, burgers and rock 'n' roll!

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

Nothing I want to tell about in an interview. It was in Italy, and I was not alone.



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