Suburban Legends
Highly regarded as one of the best live bands on the third wave ska scene, Suburban Legends have built up an impressive reputation over the last decade or so.
We caught up with the band before their show supporting Bowling For Soup in Manchester to talk about their upcoming album, a summer of Disneyland shows, choreographed dancing and much more.
-How is it being back in the UK?
Fantastic, it's been incredible. We're getting out here as much as we can, so if we can get here twice a year, that's phenomenal. Every time we've been here has been an awesome experience. This time around has been incredible.
-Normally you come over with bands like Reel Big Fish, so how is it being on a tour that isn't a ska one?
It's been a little different. It's been good - different vibes. It's a different kinda experience for us, which is cool. We're getting to play in front of brand new people.
-Has that affected your mindset going into the shows at all?
It's always the same show, but it's a little bit more exciting. At the same time, we have to be on our game and make sure that the first time they see us is memorable for a new audience.
-Moving on to talk about your sound, particularly with Infectious (2007), which had a more funk-pop vibe. What led to you exploring that?
We'd always wanted to put out a pop album, back then - that was around six years ago. It was just the musical mindset we were in at the time. We wanted to blend that with the ska stuff. We had always been a band that does what we want. If it's good music, do it.
-How as the reaction from your core fans?
Oh, they hated it! It was not very well received, although it seems like now people are starting to like it. I think five years people were like...what the hell are you guys doing? Now people are starting to open up to it a little bit more, but we don't really play much of that live currently.
-Is it something you want to explore with future releases, or would you like to go back more to the Rumpshaker sound?
The new one's more down the lines of Rumpshaker. It's a little different, cos we're all ten years older - it sounds and feels a bit different. It's the funnest record we've put out so far.
-Given that it's been about 10 years, are there any songs off it you're sick of playing now, or do you not really get that?
Not really. It's always hard to tell. It depends on the city and mood, I guess.
-In terms of the next record, has work started on it yet?
Oh yeah, we've started work on it. We're actually almost finished. We have a few more things to touch up on, and then we're done. It'll be out in December. We've done the covers people have always wanted us to record too, like The Lion King, 'Under The Sea'. There'll be covers on it.
-Well, people have been calling for those covers for a while now. What stopped you recording them before now?
We always said licensing stuff, but the more we looked into it we realised it's not that hard to figure them out.
-In the UK you have a reputation as more of a live band, maybe compared to your records. Is that something you enjoy more than being in the studio?
We are definitely a live band, it's the bigger part of what we do, but it's equally as important to us to do well in both sides of it. We love being in the studio too, cos we like coming up with new ideas.
Overall, this record is the most live we've tried to make it. We've tried to think...would this song sound great to a live audience, rather than just writing a song. Sonically, too, we want it to sound think you're there with us.
-The last couple of times you've played over here has been as a support band. Do you have any plans to do a headline run here?
Yeah, we want to. A lot of people have been asking, we're like - okay, but it takes time. We have to grow our fan-base step-by-step with each tour. It is in the works, it's in our heads' for sure. It'd be rad if we could get over here one more time supporting, and then do a headlining thing next year.
-Is there anyone you'd like to do a supporting tour with that you haven't had the chance to yet?
Zebrahead, definitely. That'd be awesome. We've been asking people over here who would take us. Take That would be pretty cool, even if we were just the clowns on the stage.
-In terms of the live show, there's a lot of energy there, particularly with the choreographed dance moves. Where did the idea for that come from?
Years ago, we started moving little by little, then "okay, move like this". Next thing, it turned into this whole choreographed thing, and each time we'd stick more in there.
It was a tiny thing at first, and then people would be like "I love it when you did this thing!" "Oh, we just moved the horns back in forth"...so, we thought we should do more of that. Next thing, we're fully choreographing our shows, and it's like - how did we get here? Well, that's how it got there.
-You mentioned finally recording the Disney songs at last. You do a lot of shows at Disneyland every year - how did that start?
Well, we new the booking guys at Disney, so we'd hit them up every time we'd run into them. We got an audition, and played at Downtown Disney for a New Year's event, then after that they asked us back. We played there for an entire summer, then they asked us to play some other events. Slowly, we've become a go-to band for them, which is awesome.
-During that entire summer, was it hard keeping it fresh, playing the same set the whole time?
It wasn't hard keeping it fresh - it was really fun. It was gruelling, physically - we did a lot of shows, and then went to day-jobs every single day. You'd get the same people showing up, sometimes it was a little weird. It helped us as performers, it helped us become really tight.
-Well, going from that audience, going to the different tours you do, has that helped keep it fresh in a way then?
Yeah, playing Disneyland compared to a rock venue is way different, and you can do different things. It's more flexible - we can say the F-word a lot more!
-You've also become the house band recently for Pick-A-Split?
Yeah, we've filmed the pilot. It looks great, it's awesome - we provide a lot of music for it too. It's a bowling variety game show...that's the best way to describe it. They're trying to pitch it right now to different networks. We'll see what happens.
-What can we expect from the band over the next six months?
We're going to release the album, step one. Then try to get back on the round whenever the next awesome tour comes up. We'll have a party too when we release the album, party's are good.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge
Highly regarded as one of the best live bands on the third wave ska scene, Suburban Legends have built up an impressive reputation over the last decade or so.
We caught up with the band before their show supporting Bowling For Soup in Manchester to talk about their upcoming album, a summer of Disneyland shows, choreographed dancing and much more.
-How is it being back in the UK?
Fantastic, it's been incredible. We're getting out here as much as we can, so if we can get here twice a year, that's phenomenal. Every time we've been here has been an awesome experience. This time around has been incredible.
-Normally you come over with bands like Reel Big Fish, so how is it being on a tour that isn't a ska one?
It's been a little different. It's been good - different vibes. It's a different kinda experience for us, which is cool. We're getting to play in front of brand new people.
-Has that affected your mindset going into the shows at all?
It's always the same show, but it's a little bit more exciting. At the same time, we have to be on our game and make sure that the first time they see us is memorable for a new audience.
-Moving on to talk about your sound, particularly with Infectious (2007), which had a more funk-pop vibe. What led to you exploring that?
We'd always wanted to put out a pop album, back then - that was around six years ago. It was just the musical mindset we were in at the time. We wanted to blend that with the ska stuff. We had always been a band that does what we want. If it's good music, do it.
-How as the reaction from your core fans?
Oh, they hated it! It was not very well received, although it seems like now people are starting to like it. I think five years people were like...what the hell are you guys doing? Now people are starting to open up to it a little bit more, but we don't really play much of that live currently.
-Is it something you want to explore with future releases, or would you like to go back more to the Rumpshaker sound?
The new one's more down the lines of Rumpshaker. It's a little different, cos we're all ten years older - it sounds and feels a bit different. It's the funnest record we've put out so far.
-Given that it's been about 10 years, are there any songs off it you're sick of playing now, or do you not really get that?
Not really. It's always hard to tell. It depends on the city and mood, I guess.
-In terms of the next record, has work started on it yet?
Oh yeah, we've started work on it. We're actually almost finished. We have a few more things to touch up on, and then we're done. It'll be out in December. We've done the covers people have always wanted us to record too, like The Lion King, 'Under The Sea'. There'll be covers on it.
-Well, people have been calling for those covers for a while now. What stopped you recording them before now?
We always said licensing stuff, but the more we looked into it we realised it's not that hard to figure them out.
-In the UK you have a reputation as more of a live band, maybe compared to your records. Is that something you enjoy more than being in the studio?
We are definitely a live band, it's the bigger part of what we do, but it's equally as important to us to do well in both sides of it. We love being in the studio too, cos we like coming up with new ideas.
Overall, this record is the most live we've tried to make it. We've tried to think...would this song sound great to a live audience, rather than just writing a song. Sonically, too, we want it to sound think you're there with us.
-The last couple of times you've played over here has been as a support band. Do you have any plans to do a headline run here?
Yeah, we want to. A lot of people have been asking, we're like - okay, but it takes time. We have to grow our fan-base step-by-step with each tour. It is in the works, it's in our heads' for sure. It'd be rad if we could get over here one more time supporting, and then do a headlining thing next year.
Tagged in Bowling For Soup