Twin Atlantic Interview: SXSW 2010

Taking a minute from stringing his guitar amid a whirlwind US tour, Twin Atlantic frontman Sam McTrusty dished to Spinner about how his band of Scottish rockers morphed from their after-school jam sessions into the creative platform for some serious rock music. The former schoolmates are now looking to SXSW and the US for a serious shot at superstar status.

Twin Atlantic has been touring voraciously where are you now?

I'm resting up right now. We're in Florida. We'll get to Austin on Thursday, March 18 and then I'll just take things as they come.

How did you guys form Twin Atlantic?

We all met in school and liked a lot of the same bands. We all liked Blink 182 a lot. We went to the United Kingdom to record on our new album and I got to go and see their reunion show in the UK while we were recording there and I became a 14-year-old all over again. It was great!

What are some of your biggest influences in music?

Nirvana is my biggest inspiration by far. We all like Nirvana and Blink 182. We definitely admire Bruce Springsteen and punk-pop bands like Jimmy Eat World. We're mostly influenced by American bands, punk-pop American bands.

Is this going to be your first SXSW?

We played last year. We couldn't play for shit though. We were not used to the heat in Texas. It was awful. This year I think we'll be more prepared for the weather since we've been to Texas before and since we've been in the states for a bit leading up to it. I'm hoping that since we have been in Florida we will be a little better adjusted to the humidity and heat.

What does your SXSW schedule look like for this year?

We play three shows all together. It won't be as crazy as some.

What festivals have you played with Twin Atlantic?

Bamboozle, a few Texas Festivals, we have never played Glastonbury but we are working hard at getting a spot on Glastonbury in the future.

Where is Twin Atlantic based?

We are based in Scotland, we record in Los Angeles and we have recorded a bit in the UK, it's always nice to come back to the states. Especially now that we are on an American label.

What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome in touring with Twin Atlantic?

The Visa. The United States work visa is so hard to get. A US Visa application sucks. It just sucks.


Tara Lacey is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here