It was roughly 8:15pm in the tiny parking lot of the Soda Bar when I sat down with the always entertaining Saint Motel members AJ Jackson (AJ-singer, keys, guitar), Greg Erwin (G-drummer), Dak Lerd (D-bass), and Aaron Sharp (AS- guitar) in their relatively new tour van. We talked about their new single My Type, touring in the UK, must have items whilst on the road, secret special talents, and much more. Read on my friends, read on… (pssssst: you can see photos from the show here)
AB: So tell me about the new track you guys just dropped yesterday, “My Type”, is that from a new record that’s coming?
AJ: We dropped it…. We dropped it like a basketball….
G: We didn’t mean to drop it, it just fell and we’re like, oh well it fell now so I guess we’ll have to pick it up. I’m just kidding.
AJ: Never shake a baby.
G: (mumbles in agreement)
AJ: Yeah. We are very excited about the song. It’s really fun and we’ve been excited to share it with everybody and it was really nice to be able to do that yesterday. And um, we’ve been playing it since a month ago (when) we started this tour but I’m just hoping people aren’t going to record it and leak it on to YouTube and be like “song’s out! Surprise” But yeah, it’s been fun. We’ve really enjoyed that one.
AB: Cool. Yeah. Definitely. It sounds a little bit different from what you guys have been doing. It’s a lot more… brassy.
AJ: Yeah. Yeah, I mean that’s definitely one thing a bit different from it. I mean on Voyeur we already kinda started using some horns and different instrumentation and um, the new batch of music definitely has a lot of sounds we’ve never used before um but I feel like, you know, at the same time it’s got a lot of classic Saint Motel vibe to it. Whatever that means. And um, yeah I dunno I guess we didn’t think too much about it being brassy or not it was just, we liked how it sounded and we liked the song and we didn’t want to, you know, limit ourselves.
AB: Definitely. So when can we expect a new record? Any ideas?
AJ: Um, there’s no information on that right now. Unfortunately. Someone knows but we don’t.
AB: Okay. You guys were recently in the UK. How was that experience? What were some of the best and worst moments? You guys had some epic pictures.
AJ: Thanks. Yeah, it was an epic time. We had two shows in London and then played some shows in Scotland and it was just like… I don’t think there was really any lowlights.
G: I agree.
AJ: I think the beer was a bit flatter.
G: Yeah, the beer isn’t as cold there. They like to serve their shit
[AJ: But you know, when in Rome] cellar temperature.
AJ: But, you know, when in Rome. I said “when in Rome” a lot just because I knew we were in Rome.
G: [Sighs]
AJ: It’s pretty fun.
G: We made sure we told everyone we were American as many times as possible and we wore, like, American flag t-shirts.
AJ: Yeah. You gotta. You gotta do that. Whenever you leave the country you have to do that. You have to wear only American apparel.
G: Especially in Europe. Yeah.
AJ: Yeah, no it was a good time from start to finish. And I think we’re going to be going back over there pretty soon. Which is cool.
AB: Cool. What are your guys’ must have items when you’re on the road?
G: Each other.
AJ: That is important. We don’t want to lose anybody.
G: Ummmmm.
AJ: Ginger has been a new one.
G: These guys eat a lot of ginger.
AJ: Fresh ginger.
G: I can’t do it. It’s too strong.
AJ: Slice it up, take a bite, and just chew on it. And it just makes everything better.
AB: It’s good for you. Keeps you healthy.
AJ: Yeah. Yeah, we keep learning new techniques that ginger… New health benefits I guess.
G: Clean underwear is pretty essential. I had to buy some new ones on this trip. I didn’t have enough time to do laundry.
AJ: They were like ummmm…
G: I just had to buy new underwear.
AJ: They were Batman underwear.
G: Yeah. Underoos.
AB: I approve. What about you two in the back? You guys have been quiet.
[Awkward silence]
AS: What are you asking?
AB: Are there any must have items you need when you’re on the road?
AS: Um.
D: I would say that we have to have a case of water.
G: [laughs] We do. We love water.
AJ: That is important.
A: A well-hydrated band.
D: I mean, like we don’t need keys we don’t need guitars.
Just water.
G: Sometimes we just play the bottles. [plays on a cup in
the van]
AJ: We freeze it at different temperatures.
G: Fill it to different heights.
AJ: Fill it to different heights.
AB: Like that part in Miss Congeniality.
G: Wow that was weird. I was just thinking about that.
AB: Mmmhmmm.
AJ: Whaaat?
G: Yeah.
AB: Yeah. There’s umm… Have you seen the movie?
AJ: [snorts/laughs]
AB: Probably not. Sandra Bullock has all these different glasses and she ends up playing them.
AJ: Is that the one where she’s an undercover cop?
AB: Yeah.
AJ: Ok
AB: She gets all fancied up.
G: Gussied up.
AJ: Undercover cop movies. Kindergarten Cop, Miss Congeniality, always the best crime [unintelligible]
G: Is there even more than those? Cause those are the only two I wanna…
AJ: Undercover Congeniality
G: Undercover Kindergartener?
AJ: No. No. The one where she pretends to be a nun.
G: Sister Act!
AJ: But she’s not really a cop but she’s still like, fish out of water.
AB: Isn’t she a gangsters wife?
AJ: Yeah. Something like that. That Whoppi.
AB: Alright, two more, well maybe three more questions. What’s your favorite guilty pleasure song or band for you guys?
G: Like, something we listen to? That we feel shameful about?
AB: Yes. Everyone has one of those.
[band mumbling]
G: Gesafaltelfish
AS: Gesaffelstein.
G: You don’t…Do you feel bad when you listen to it?
AS: I don’t feel guilty about it at all.
G: She said guilty pleasure song.
AB: Guilty pleasure song.
G: Aaron loves….
AS: I don’t feel guilty about anything I listen to.
G: Dak loves the band Phish
AB: Phish? Ok.
G: And we all feel bad for him.
[laughter]
AB: Oh, you guys are funny. All right, two more. What is a weird skill or talent no one would expect from you? Other than your musical abilities.
AJ: You mean collectively?
AB: No. Well, whatever works.
G: We’re really good at Frisbee.
AB: Frisbee?
G: We play everyday on tour. We’re like, we’re gonna hit the circuit I think. Aaron’s doing trick moves. He’s already doing tricks.
AB: Yeah? What about individually?
AJ: Um. We’re all pretty good at back flips. No one expects that when they see us.
G: We’re probably gonna hit the circuit with that too.
AB: Yeah?
AJ: Yeah. Unexpected back flips too. Like, we’ll just be ordering a beer the bartender will be like, and right when he says that, you do a back flip.
G: And then you’ll get the beer for free though.
AJ: Yeah.
AB: That’s what I was thinking. Ok, last one. If you could sum up Saint Motel in five words, what would they be?
AJ: Sexy
G: Sex
AJ: Sex
G: Just sex
AJ: Sex I guess with a bunch of x’s
G: [laughs]
AB: Ok. All right, that’s it!
Band: [clapping] Yay.
G: Yay.
AB: Thanks you guys.
G: We clap for ourselves. Yay. That’s a wrap on Saint Motel.