SXSW: Interview with Smallpools and Showcase at Bar 96

I met with the four man indie-pop band from California yesterday in an alley behind Buffalo Billiards off 6^th and Brazos. We escaped to the alley since inside 101.5, Austin’s indie and alternative station, had artists in and out for live interviews. Needless to say, the place was packed and very loud. We were not even out the door when girls began to flock the heartthrobs, “I saw you in LA!” “I love you guys!” “I recognized you right away!” “You have to take a photo with me!”

The humble boys stopped and spoke with all of the fans. We began the interview and I started by asking about the new album that just dropped, LOVETAP! Joseph Intile, the bassist exclaimed, “It’s in the stream world!” We all cheered. Here is how the rest of the interview went:

CORINA CARRIZALES: Is this the first South By Southwest you guys have played?

SEAN SCANLON (lead singer): Sean says, “Yes”.

MIKE KAMERMAN (guitarist): Mike agrees.

BEAU KUTHER (drummer): Beau says, “He can’t remember.”

I make a comment suggesting Beau has been here every year blackout drunk.

JOE INTILE (bassist) laughs: Joe says, “How did you know?!”

The boys were helping me distinguish who each was so I wouldn’t get confused when I typed it up. They did so in the most humorous fashion.

M: Sean and I actually met at a SXSW (2007) this is the first time that we are all joining forces and getting on stage together.

C: Is it all work and no play this week?

S: We went out last night. It’ll be a really good balance, we did a little bit of play last night, just like a starter kit of play, and we saw some friends out in the world. Today will be the first show and then seven more in the next three days. It is going to be hectic, but I’m sure there will be some hours of play where we get to see some other bands or just to hangout.

C: Do you have any artists that you want to see this week?

M: I don’t really know who all is playing. I would really like to see Catfish & The Bottlemen, I’ve started listening to them I think it’s really cool stuff. I know MS MR is playing.

S: Yea we have a bunch of friends that are playing!

M: The Mowgli’s are playing; I would like to see them. This band called Beginners, they’re really cool, they’re playing. Bleachers, I haven’t seen them live. I really need to look at a schedule to see who all is here. I’m sure I’m missing a lot. Incubus!

B: When did you hear about that?

M: A while ago, I’m on their email list…that’s not true…I saw a flyer.

C: Coming off the new song “Karaoke”, I have to ask have any or all of you ever taken a lady out on a karaoke date?

They all think.

M: Hmmm nope, probably not.

S: Hip Hop Bingo is the weirdest situation. There is a bar in LA that does hip-hop bingo. The hosts dress up as 90’s and 80’s hip hop stars, if you get four in a row which is one before bingo you yell, “Hip Hop,” and go up to all the prizes and you dance around and then you wait to get bingo or not. One time we got bingo and we won that little porcelain dog that we always carry around.

B: I don’t think I’ve ever taken a girl there; I’ve probably met someone at a karaoke bar.

M: Sean and I used to sing karaoke to a New Radicals song a lot, “You Get What You Give”, but I’m not a great singer. I can sing back up semi-ok, but I don’t see any benefit of taking a girl out somewhere where I am going to sing. I’m not the lead singer, she’d be either like, ‘Oh you’re really bad or you’re really just not that great.”

S: You can take her out on a date to Guitar Center and show her some licks. *mouth guitar riff noises*

B: You can show here that eight string guitar chorus, she’d love it.

Everyone agrees.

M: I love that we are talking about this imaginary person right now.

B: I love her!

Final words to wrap up the interview from Sean: “Give your best friend a love tap for us.”

C: ….that sounds dirty…

M: Spread the love tap!

S: It can be as dirty as you want or not!

Later, I went to Bar 96 off Rainey Street and saw Smallpools perform at eleven. I met a photographer from Phoenix, Braden Hammond, and let him snap a few photos with my camera. I am still very much in the beginner photographer phase so his photos blew mine out of the water. The set was energetic and everyone was dancing. During their hit, “Dreaming” even the bar staff was dancing and singing along.

Be sure to check out “LOVETAP!” by Smallpools. I can’t get “American Love” out of my head!

By Corina Carrizales