Interview with Sandro Schiena from UK’s TURNPIKE GLOW, who’re making Indie Pop fun again! @thesyndotcom @turnpikeglow
London, England quartet Turnpike Glow are every indie-popper’s dream… Fun, bouncy, energy-laden tunes to rile up the audience and put a smile on your face. Catchy and infectious, Turnpike Glow already are what every band in Williamsburg band wishes they could be… Worthy of that solid 5.5 write up from those pretentious and never-happy-unless-it’s-Kanye types over at P’fork. Punch up, folks.
Needless to say, 285 Kent or Public Assembly in Brooklyn would be a fine choice of venue for these boys, and I sense a stateside voyage in their near future. Prior to these eventualities, I caught up with vocalist Sandro Schiena to get introduced to the guys, discuss some of their influences and songs, and a few tips of advice for the up and comer musician in us all.
Interview:
G- Hi there and thank you very much for taking the time to speak with Live High Five today! If you could, please introduce the members in the group… Who is everyone, what do they play, and where does everyone come from?
S- Thanks for having us! We’re half Italian and half British. Giuseppe and I sing, play guitar, bass and hit some random keys. Anthony is the man behind the drums, and Tom is our guitarist.
G- Italian and British… There’s a nice mix for you! So tell us… How long has Turnpike Glow been around as a group, and when did you first begin performing? Do you remember the moment that you really felt the group “click?”
S- The band started to “click” when we moved to London 4 years ago and met our drummer Anthony. Rhythm became more and more crucial in our song-writing process. We always find melodies are less predictable when written to an inspiring drum beat, rather than a guitar chord progression.
G- Yea you’re songs definitely have a strong rhythmic bounce them to… It’s an interesting way to go about it! Can you give us a few examples of any bands or artists in particular that influence your style and who you typically like to listen to? Are there any acts that you’re digging and think we should know about?
S- Some records had a big impact on what we do: The Flaming Lips’ The Soft Bulletin, Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot it in People, and Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
As far as new bands goes, we recommend to check out Django Django if you haven’t already. Their sound is quite unique, in between The Beta Band and Beach Boys.
G- Right on we’ll do that! Now, since every song has the process, can you tell us what is your writing process/style is like, and who in the band typically comes up new music? Do you have a primary songwriter, or do you write music more organically through jamming during rehearsals?
S- Giuseppe and I write the melodic lines and come up with some guitar, bass or keyboard hooks. Then, we bring the song to Anthony and Tom and work out the rhythmic structure of the song and the various arrangement options.
G- Solid, and what should your fans, both old and new, expect of the performances when you guys hit the road? I’m not trying to spoil any surprises, but can we expect any new material or special appearances, and what should some of the first time listeners expect to see when you take the stage?
S- Our in-between song moments are filled by fire-breathing performers.
G- Hahahaha ok. Make sure to tell everyone prior so you don’t have a Michael Jackson/Pepsi moment at your shows 😉
As a newer band looking to break, what are your feelings about the larger music industry at this time? Do you feel that it is in peril or simply reorganization and being revolutionized by tech and digital?
S- Nobody really knows what’s going on. Labels are obviously suffering from this “reorganization,” whilst new bands can get exposure in ways that weren’t even remotely possible in the past. The problem for a band has now become how to “sustain” and establish themselves. You can get out there pretty quick, but disappear even swifter.
G- That’s very true. So, do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
S- I don’t have a fixed answer on that… It changes every other month. It’s usually always the newer ones. You periodically fall in and out of love with your songs.
G- As a musician myself, that can certainly be the case. Ok, back to fun stuff… Do you currently have, or are you working on, any releases right now? When will you be heading back to the studio or on the road? Anything currently in the works?
S- New recordings were done last week so we’re pretty excited. The tracks will now be sent to Canada to Dave Newfeld (Broken Social Scene, Los Campesinos) who will be in charge of mixing. Everything should be ready early next year and we cannot wait.
G- Very nice! We’ll be looking for it when it drops! And once these tracks are complete and everyone loves them to death, are there any bands or artists that you hope to share a bill with in the future?
S- The Flaming Lips, Phoenix, Broken Social Scene. They feature in every band members top 5.
G- Whoa… Now THAT’S a worthy lineup! Coachella, anyone?
Speaking of shows, what is the craziest or most memorable show that Turnpike Glow has played to date? Where was it and what was it like?
S- Our single release party in Camden (London, England). The venue was packed and the audience was very ‘loud’. Also, we got to share the stage with ‘Citizens!’ which was great.
G- Very nice! And to finish up with Live High Five today, as a newer band looking to break ground in the music industry, what advice can you give some of the young, up and coming bands everywhere who want to make it in music, on the road, and as a professional musician?
S- Rehearse as much as possible. Record your best tracks. Then shoot a decent video because that’s what people react the most to. You don’t need a fortune to do that nowadays. And even if you’re not a social network fan (I am not), tweet and post on FB, and get your friends to share and spread the word.
http://twitter.com/turnpikeglow
LIVE HIGH FIVE 