Saint Motel Interview: SXSW 2010

Four cinephiles met in film school three years ago and formed Saint Motel, an unsigned indie-pop act that has gained legions of fans with just one EP and several energetic videos. It might be because their shows are such spectacles, mixing visual effects with the classic elements of a rock 'n roll party. Spinner spoke with vocalist and guitarist A/J Jackson before SXSW.

How did you guys get together?

We all went to film school together. We got together around 2007.

Where does the name come from?

We wanted a name that was a juxtaposition of good and bad, things that don't necessarily work together but then somehow did. We always want to have a contrast in our music. We want it to be happy and sad and rocking, good versus evil, melody versus rhythm, lyrics versus music. All that stuff.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Frank Sinatra, Frankie Valle, a lot of various music. I think everyone has different tastes. Some like heavier stuff, lighter stuff.

How would you describe your sound?

I'd say we are an adrenaline-packed, thrill-ride adventure. An action-packed thrill ride. Ha. I think iTunes lists it under alternative, rock 'n' roll and indie pop.

As film school students, why choose music?

They're both just different forms of storytelling and creative expression. All of us say music is our passion, and we definitely have it as our primary outlet. That's what we do enjoy doing the most. But everything from graphic design to filmmaking to art is all just about creative expression. We were all into music before we got into film. Piano for me.

Even though you're unsigned, your music videos are quite cinematic. You've got videos for all of your songs. Is the video still important?

We think it adds to the experience. They exist independently. We like to push it as far as we can, and that was just one way we felt we were doing it. We were about halfway through the album, and we decided to do all six videos. It all goes hand in hand.

Is LA's music scene competitive?

It seems like there's a lot of really good bands. I feel like there's less bands than when we were first moved here. Music isn't as exciting an option as it was two years ago. It's not the safest option by any means. I think to be in a band and put as much energy as a lot of people do is brave, to say the least. Even if it's competitive, there's a really high sense of respect. No matter what, everyone has their own sound. At the end of the day, that levels the playing field. It's not about who has the best equipment or the hippest clothes. In the end, it's all about music that is translatable.

What are your live shows like?

We always want to do something crazier than before. We go farther and farther, to the point that it's unmanageable. But it's always really fun to the point that it's catharsis. It all starts with our live shows. Our lives shows are concert-meets-party. Each one is designed to be unique to itself. We want to have as much fun as we can have. It's really fun to see a really small, 18-year-old girl crowd surfing. Our music allows people to let loose. Shows usually end with things being thrown around, crowd surfing, stage surfing. It sucks when things get broken, and the clubs don't like it, but it's unique. I used to go to a lot of punk shows, and it's kind of like that. Anything goes, and it makes it really rock 'n' roll.

Do you have any favorite touring experiences?

We got arrested in Akron, Ohio. We were driving, hungry, on our way to New York from Chicago. It was a ghost town, and we were looking for food. We turned left on a red, and we get pulled over. The cop is, like, completely bewildered by why we're there. "Do you know where you are? If you keep driving, you will be food." We didn't have our licenses, either, because our stuff was stolen earlier in Chicago. Apparently, we ended up in the meth capital of the world. He dropped all the charges and said he wouldn't take us in if we promised never to come back.

Have you been to SXSW before?

Yes, but this is our first time officially in the festival. It's amazing. We love it. It's somewhere between festival-meets-street party-meets Mardi Gras-meets-band camp. There's totally a summer camp element to it. You have pen pals, and you're like, "Write me, write me!"

What's in your festival survival kit?

Cases and cases of Red Bull. That really comes in handy when you're driving all night.

Sadia Latifi is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.