SXSW Interviews: Spanish Prisoners
Spanish Prisoners are an up-and-coming act who are making their first venture to SXSW, not to mention their first venture together in a van! We all know how that can go, so we wish them the best of luck. Also, you can download their excellent debut Gold Fools over at their bandcamp page, but be sure to donate to help support the cause! Here’s their answers to our questions: let’s be sure to give them a warm welcome.
ATH: What is the most challenging thing about being a band during SXSW or other similar festivals?
Spanish Prisoners: Well, seeing as how we’ve never played SXSW I have no idea. Bring it on (I got my pompoms)!
ATH: What are some tips for newbie bands to survive at SXSW? Or just in general on tour?
Spanish Prisoners: We’re actually all SXSW newbies. Do you have any advice for us? You’re in Austin! This is actually the band’s first tour together. I’m sure we’ll learn a few things once its done.
ATH: What are you guys jamming to in your tour bus/van?
Spanish Prisoners: We typically put on local classic rock stations. If the signal is really poor, we’ll switch on our iPhones and use a cassette tape to 1/8″ adaptor. I tend to play things no one else in the band likes. How can you not like Parliament Funkadelic?!
ATH: Who wins the Euro cup this year? It’s okay to say you hate soccer.
Spanish Prisoners: I have no idea. My roommate is a big futbol fan. I can hear him screaming Portuguese from his room all the time (watching games?). I was excited when the South Korean team almost made it, like eight years back. I’m very surprised with you Texans! You guys aren’t excited about baseball? So un-American 🙂
ATH: Die to licensing issues, you have to change the name of the band, or else you get sued! What do you change it to?
Spanish Prisoners: Umm, Zpanish Prionerz. Does that count?
ATH: It’s fairly early in the year, so what do you guys have planned as a band before the world ends in December?
Spanish Prisoners: We’re on tour for three weeks this month (including SXSW). After that, we’ll be focusing a lot on recording new songs. As of now, we have about four or so songs that have a lot of promise. We’re really excited about them! Feels like we’re heading in a cool direction. Hopefully the record will be done sometime this summer.
We would like to fit in another tour or two before the end of the year. One of which would be in conjunction with the new album release. It all seems very far away at the moment, but we tend to plan things way in advance. We need to get through this tour first!
ATH: What’s the best pre-show beverage? Get brand specific? What’s the worst shot I can buy you?
Spanish Prisoners: I’m definitely the biggest drinker in the band. Couldn’t you tell?! I like having a tequila – soda before the show. A glass of Jameson while on stage is nice. I can’t stand Southern Comfort! That is definitely the worst. Bad times. For the rest of the guys, I’d say…coffee.
ATH: Being on tour, what’s the one thing you miss about home?
Spanish Prisoners: I don’t think there can be just one thing. If I had to pick one I’d say my bed. I imagine I won’t be sleeping on many Tempur-Pedic mattresses on this tour!
ATH: Best band of all time is…?
Spanish Prisoners: Hard to definitely say. Can’t go wrong with the Velvet Underground or David Bowie though.
Thanks to Gloria for hooking up the interview! Here’s the band’s SXSW plans and a nice jam!
(3/15) thursday: Uncorked Wine Bar: Paper Garden Records / My Old Kentucky Blog Showcase: 5:15pm set
(3/16) friday: Crow Bar: Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Showcase, 9:00pm set
(3/17) saturday: Banger’s: BirdDog Promo Showcase: 1:30pm set; Treehouse Pub: Boston SXSW Showcase, 7:00pm set
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/03-Know-No-Violence.mp3]Download: Spanish Prisoners – Know No Violence [MP3]