Dead Confederate Interview: SXSW 2010

Hardy Morris is the vocalist and guitarist of the Athens-based rock outfit Dead Confederate. While Morris says the band's name is essentially its sound put into words, he maintains that its connotation leaves plenty of room for a wide array of different styles and influences to make their way into The Confederate's repertoire. at SXSW.

Describe your sound in your own words.

Well, it's kind of different from song to song. A lot of people think it's kind of dark, but I think our new record has some kind of upbeat stuff. It's just so hard to pigeon-hole it like that. I mean, I feel like each of records has kind of a different feel to it. Ever-changing, that's what I'd say.

How did your band form?

We've known each other since we all went to high school together in Augusta, Ga. We became The Confederate in 2006, but we played in bands together when we were younger until we came to that crossroads where we had to make an actual commitment to it. You know, we all knew we wanted to play music but it was at that point that we had to choose between music or get desk jobs. So we kept it going.

What are your musical influences?

I mean, we all listen to so much different stuff and have really eclectic tastes. I think every time I pick up a guitar I have a different concept in my head of what I want it to sound like. It just depends on whatever you're trying to write. We do draw on others for sure, but I can't even start to put specifics down. On the last record, I'd say we were going for grungery, raw aesthetics -- kind of Neil Young-like, really bare-boned. But this record's a little more wacky, I think.

How did you come up with your band name?

Well, at the time we had maybe a handful of songs, and I think people thought of them as being darker, heavier. We just thought the name sounded like the band. We were in Georgia and in the South so "Confederate" kind of made sense, then the "Dead" part obviously conveys a dark subject. We just thought it described our sound.

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

Definitely the Meat Puppets. The entire experience of hanging out with those guys and traveling with them was the weirdest, coolest experience I've ever had. Just fascinating people, fascinating music. They are truly an anomaly. They're bad ass. I feel like you can learn more about music with them on one tour or whatever, one week, than in ten years of touring on your own.

What's your biggest vice?

Within the band, I'd say doing whatever gets offered to us. We play anywhere even if doesn't make sense, but we can't keep playing at all these random little things for free. But we've never really had to deal with the substance thing, if that's what you mean. I mean, of course it's always there, but we all enjoy music enough that we don't let the substance stuff cause a problem.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Well, Hannah Montana's pretty awesome. Ha. Nah I mean, I really like some '90s country, you know like Randy Travis. And group country, likeBrooks and Dunn, Diamond Rio, Alabama -- that kind of thing. We listen to quite a bit of country, actually.

Beatles or Stones?

Beatles, no doubt. I just listen to them so much more, and their music intrigues me more, for sure.

Hanna Lucas is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.