Photo
by: Todd Clapp
If you listen really carefully, you'll hear
it: the churning sound of a guitar, then another, all the while,
getting louder and louder, until before you know it, you're engulfed
in a melodic sea of twists and bends. This is the sound
of Foxtail Somersault, a band that blends mesmorizing vocals,
haunting Shoegaze riffs, feverish punk rock, and electronic ambient
reflection. With their upcoming EP release entitled Fathom,
Seiken Nakama guitarist and founder of the band takes time out
to share with us the band's musical inspirations, the
stories behind the songs, and his experience performing these
personal moments in front of a live audience.
Tell us who makes up Foxtail Somersault?
When and why did you decide to start the band together?
After a long hiatus from the music scene after moving to SF from
LA, I had a long standing itch that required a good scratch. Mark
Dungey, Brian Anderson and Catherine Howland answered craigslist
ads, and I fortuitously bumped into James at a Tomihira show.
What's the story behind the name "Foxtail Somersault?"
It's a little inside joke...
It feels like Foxtail Somersault's music is a blend of different
musical genres mixed together: pop, experimental, hard rock. Tell
us more about the musical style that makes up Foxtail Somersault.
I think we all bring our own influences to the table. I grew up
listening to the Cure, JAMC, SY, the hardcore Punk scene in the
80's, the Shoegaze influx in the 90's.
These diverse musical influences among each
member of the band: from Mogwai to Jesus and Mary Chain. Do these
different areas of influence affect the collaboration or the actual
music you make? If so, how?
I think we each have a different approach to writing our parts,
when we work as a collaborative unit we each display some of our
personal influences. Take a song like Divingboard, James wrote
an indie pop/rockish lead over the rhythm. I originally wrote
the bass line, but Brian totally reworked it, giving it more depth.
We will then perform the parts and Mark will experiment with different
beats searching for
something that will enhance the feel. The song is finished once
Cat adds the perfect amount of ethereal tones. If we're working
on one of Catherine's songs like Forget, she'll have her vocals
and guitar part written, and the rest of us will noodle around
and write our parts during rehearsals.
When you listen to the songs, there's a cinematic quality
to them, a narrative that strings the songs together, especially
in A Love Song, Part 1 and A Long Song, Part 2.
Could you talk more about these two songs and what the inspirations
were behind them?
What inspired me to write the music in those songs is really difficult
to put in words, I guess if I could I would be a better writer.
I'm usually a person that keeps most things bottled up, and I
use music as an outlet. I draw upon past emotions and let them
loose. I don't feel limited when composing, I usually layer several
(5-10) guitar
tracks and work from there.
What inspires you to start writing the next song or making
the next album?
It just happens. Moments of clarity...
You said that when you write songs, you
"draw upon past emotions and let them loose." What goes
on when you perform these songs live? Do you see yourself reliving
these same emotions, or do you get something new out everytime
you perform a song? Tell us your thoughts on performing live?
Most of the songs we perform live are set pieces,
where there's not much change in the song structure or tone between
performances. We're always tinkering and refining our live sound,
but that's about the extent. The two instrumentals we rotate in
our live set however are a whole different game. The way we start
them is scripted, but after the intro's it's a free for all, what
we do during the songs are different every single time we play
them.. I can't speak for Brian, James, Cat or Mark, but when I'm
performing the songs live, rather than just trying to relive past
events to conjour up the feelings that led up to composition of
the piece, I try to use them as a compass,
and mix them with my present state. I really feed off the crowd,
and my mates. I find it impossible to feel the same way I did
even 24 hours ago, let alone months.
Do you see any difference in the local music
scene in San Francisco than in LA?
I think the main difference between LA and SF is the size and
scope of the scene. There are so many more bands and musicians
in LA, you can really lose yourself, i think it's more difficult
to feel connected to a particular scene. Here in SF, I feel that
I belong to a real community of musicians with similar goals.
There's sites like coolwavesf.com
(run by Roger A. from the band Halcyon High) that reinforce the
feeling of community.
What do you want people to get from hearing your music?
I just want them to feel an emotion, either you love it or hate
it, but if it stirs an emotion, I think we would be satisfied.
Could you share what current or future projects that you have
planned
or are in the works?
We're about to release our 1st Ep, and hopefully a 2nd will be
completed shortly.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, tell us what your
CD or
iPod playlist would be?
Slowdive, MBV, The Cure, Sonic Youth, and Explosions in the Sky.
