The Uglysuit Interview: SXSW 2010

Oklahoma City's indie-rock sextet the Uglysuit are currently writing "lots of new material" for their sophomore effort while demo-ing tunes for some labels interested in the band's hopeful folk-pop songs. Prior to playing two official showcases at SXSW 2010, the Uglysuit will also perform at Canadian Music Week in Toronto in early March. Spinner spoke with brothers Crosby and Colin Bray -- who sound identical on the phone -- about the band and its future.

How did the band form?

Well actually five of the six of us have been playing in a band together for almost nine years now. We were in a band in high school together and then when that band kind of went south we started up the Uglysuit because we wanted to keep going. We rounded up Jonathan Martin our piano player and the suit of ugliness had sprouted.

How would you describe your sound?

Cerebral opti-rock. It's something we've kind of coined and we feel that it mostly explains what people would hear. When were recording our last album (the Uglysuit self-titled) a really good friend of ours Brad told us our sound had a kind of cerebral vibe. We said, 'Man, that's a good word.' And 'opti' stands for optimistic. So cerebral is of the mind and it is somewhat optimistic so we feel that explains it OK.

What are some of your musical influences?

My personal favorite band and it's been a huge influence on my writing is Broken Social Scene all the way from Dangerbird to Flaming Lips. We all love Sigur Ros, the Icelandic band. Basically any type of indie music gives us a good feeling. It's that music which we really love.

How did you decide on the band name?

Well, it started one fateful night when all of us had fallen asleep at the same time. We went to a magical place in our dreams, it was a very beautiful land of fields and marigold flowers and there was a unicorn standing at the very top of this hill. All of us came up from different angles to check out this golden shiny suit which was hanging from the unicorn's browcorn. As soon as we got to it we touched it and we all woke up. We freaked out and called each other about it and next thing you know we decided that it was the Uglysuit, it was the only thing we could do about it. It's somewhat of an ongoing story, you know.

What was the biggest challenge in making your debut album?

It was probably not knowing when to stop. We love layering our music to an uncanny amount, I don't know but we always feel like there's something else we can add. Being able to decide when a song is done is really hard for us I feel. Something we've definitely learned from making the full-length is realizing that space is just as important as lack of space. That's been something we've been really trying to push for the new songs and the new writing processes that we're a part of.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Survival kit ... that's a good question. Normally it's the clothes on my back and a backpack of ramen. That's all you need there buddy, and maybe some napkins. But when you've got your shirt you don't need napkins. And our instruments are usually the best thing to have.

What would you say is your biggest vice?

That's a tough one, I don't know. I think for me it would be landscapes, I mean literally landscape viewing, that would have to be mine. There's too much you can find on the earth we live in. I've been reading a book called 'Atlas of the Universe' and they have yet to find another planet that can support life. But when you look at what we live on, there's more beauty than what people realize.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I don't believe in guilty pleasures, I believe if you like something you can damn well stand up and shout it out from the rooftop. I mean people make fun of me because I listen to certain bands, but laugh at me if you want. I like NWA, I shout it out, gangsters with attitude.

The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?

Beatles all the way. We all agree on that absolutely as an entire band. It should be known. They reinvented music, they created the base of what everything else has become. They did it first. They did almost everything first.

What's the craziest thing you've experienced on tour?

There was one time we were in Omaha, Nebraska actually and these bagpipers walked in blaring the bagpipes while the last band was playing and a huge brawl broke out in the middle of the street -- we're talking like 30 people. It all started from drunk bagpipe players marching into the bar and they started this huge ruckus. It was literally a riot, like I had never seen people's faces being smashed up against the glass windows of a bar. Five cop cars pulled up and were taking people into custody. We were just like, "This doesn't happen. People are supposed to dance and smile, not fight." It was definitely the opposite of what we were hoping from Omaha and what they would bring. We were like, "Get out of here! The fuzz is coming!"

So there won't be any bagpipes on the new album?

Not that we know of. We can't promise there won't be but certainly not in Omaha at least. That is a fact for fear of anyone else being decked or punched.