Terrible Twos Interview: SXSW 2010

Warning: do not even think about lumping Detroit's five-headed noise monster the Terrible Twos into the neo-garage movement that was the Motor City's only reliable export for most of the last decade. While Twos' honcho Chris Campbell (guitar/bass/vocals) and his bandmates took the stage at all the clubs that helped launch the White Stripes, the Von Bondies and the Hentchmen, the band opted for a far more in-your-face approach to music bereft of anything resembling a pop hook. A series of 7" singles on X! Records and Italy Records began in 2004, and 2008 saw the release of their self-titled full-length debut. On the eve of the band's third outing at SXSW, Campbell talked about separating himself and his band from the garage rock pack and what not to do to queued up Nada Surf fans.

How would you describe your sound?

It comes from a fear of empty space, so you have five people playing everything all at once and very loud. I guess you could call it punk, but very weird punk with lots of random changes so it can be orchestral. There's also an early heavy metal thing going on too.

How did the Terrible Twos get started?

One or two years after high school, around 2003, we weren't doing anything else, so we'd get together and practice all the time. Between us there were some failed attempts at bands when we were in high school, but this band was the first time there was anything serious about it. It was determination on my part to make it keep going because before I could never make it happen so I said I want to really do it and try to make it. We had our first show in 2004 and our first 7" later on that year.

Who are your influences?

On an older level it'd be someone like the punk bands I had never heard of growing up, like the Screamers, the Electric Eels, Richard Hell and the New York Dolls. We also all grew up listening to heavy metal and eventually grew out of it but that stuff is still in there for us. We also picked up a lot from going to shows in Detroit over the years, where you'd see the Clone Defects, the Dirtbombs and the Piranhas, bands that were really confrontational and really exciting when you see them on a small stage in a tiny club.

Where did the band's name come from?

We were in our practice space and needed a name, so we got to a point where we were just yelling out name ideas constantly. I said Terrible Twos and that was kind of the best one we heard so we stuck with it. It came down to that because a friend was making a flyer for a show we were playing and needed a name to put on there, and Terrible Twos was the one we went with.

What's your biggest vice?

Pills for me, though we all have different ones. For me, I do things like uppers and stuff that helps keep me awake so I can keep on working on music.

Any survival tips for making it through SXSW?

This is our third time at South By, and I think the biggest thing you need to have is patience. If you play four times in one day it's really draining and you have to watch your alcohol intake, save that drinking for the end of the night. I figure I can rest when it's over. Last year we played so many times we didn't have any chances to see any shows and when I did I was tired all the time.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Lita Ford when I was 3 or 6, somewhere in there. It was 'Kiss Me Deadly.' I didn't quite know what that meant but I knew I liked it. I had an older brother who was into that music and I'd steal his tapes, playing them on my headphones because my mom didn't really want me to listen to it and I didn't want her to hear it from my room.

Any guilty pleasures on the music side?

I never feel really guilty about it because I'm pretty outspoken in how much I like something like Motley Crue. '80s pop songs, though, are different. I'll put on Motley Crue in the car no matter who's in there, but I'm probably not going to do that with [Cyndi Lauper's] 'Time After Time.' Unless it's one of the guys in the band because at this point there's really no shame between any of us.

Beatles or Stones?

The Beatles when I'm feeling reflective and nostalgic, the Stones when I'm in the mood to party. Put it this way: Beatles in the day, Stones at night.

What's your best story from the road?

Two years ago we were at South By and were up on the roof of some crappy tiki bar and Craig [Brown] peed on a bunch of people who were lined up downstairs waiting to see Nada Surf. We got kicked out for that. It was our third show of the day and we'd been drinking free beer the entire time, and that's the sort of thing that happens at that point.

Dan Manfield is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.