Ear Pwr Interview: SXSW 2010

Baltimore continues to churn out synth-heavy pop music with Ear Pwr, a dance-happy duo made of Devin Booze and Sarah Reynolds. Booze and Reynolds' friendship started in the summer of 2005 when they met nearly every afternoon for two-person dance parties. Their friendship blossomed into a musical collaboration. We spoke to Ear Pwr about how the band formed, where the unique band name came from and what we can find in their festival survival kit.

Describe your sound in your own words.

Devin Booze: Our sound just recently underwent a massive overhaul. It used to be like neon shoelaces on crack, but now it's like evergreen trees on a snowy mountain.

How did your band form?

Sarah Reynolds: I was a big fan of Devin's former band, Hide and Seek. I started a dance brigade and we went to all of their shows and danced really hard. Eventually, Devin and I started hanging out and dancing together. We dreamed up the idea of Ear Pwr, but I moved away to Italy shortly after that. While I was gone, Devin wrote music and when I came back I wrote lyrics to his music. We soon started playing shows, and the rest is history.

What are your musical influences?

DB: Raymond Scott, Toots and the Maytals, Alan Jackson, Kurtis Blow.

How did you come up with your band name?

DB: It came from the headphone and power inputs on an old cassette player.

What's your biggest vice?

DB: Liquor and cheeseburgers.

What's in your festival survival kit?

DB: Whiskey, water and tacos.

Who was your first celeb crush?

SR: Fred Savage
DB: Will Smith

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

DB: Animal Collective

Beatles or Stones?

DB: Neither.

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

DB: Poland.

What are you listening to now?

DB: Right at this moment, Flying Lotus.

What's your "Desert Island" album?

SR: Ariel Pink's 'Haunted Graffiti,' worn copy.
DB: Moby's 'Go.'

What can we expect to see at your live show?

DB: Loud drums -- bring ear plugs -- pretty music and probably some jumping around.


Jennifer Bergen is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.