What bought Headquarters together? A love of 60's/indie-pop
perhaps?
Charles Wallace: I think it was more a reaction to the disingenuine music
being cranked out and heaved on the general public in America at the time.
I mean, it's still mostly crap, but for a while there, it was all sugar
coated, overproduced, meaningless pop. There's gotta be soul in music and
you gotta believe. Who truly believes in Jessica Simpson?
Your new Cd 'Day In Bed' seems to have some influence of British 60's
Beat and bang up to date sounds is that something that HQ try to do ?, mix
both?
We definately have been influenced by classic tune-smith type songwriting,
but we by no means set our boundries to one particular sound or era. We
are living in the now, if that's what you mean. Very now.
How do you see 60's/ indie-pop perceived in the USA ? Do you often feel
as though you are ploughing a lone furrow?
Absolutely not on the plough. There's 6T's retro bands popping up everywhere
now in the U.S.. There's also traditional indie rock bands that are now
incorporating a 6T's sounds, but we don't quite associate ourselves with
either. Maybe in the field next to the plough, just sitting on a fence.
Do you aim to capture a particular audience with your music,
or are u happy for everybody to dig the HQ vibe.
We look at it like everyone should be able to be turned on to good music.
We hope one day for everyone to be turned on to HQ.
What is the current state of Mod in the States / is it
still a big thing in New York.
Kind of seeping back to the marginal cult status. The purisits who embrace
that kind of life-style wholly seem to be keeping the scene from going mainstream.
Maybe that's a good thing, but the headset they're going for was once a
mainstream ideal, so I don't get why they'd want to. It's a different time
now anyway.
Have ever been over to any Mod/60's events in the UK ?
Yeah, Mousetrap, Blow Up, Orange Sunshine, and whoa, they take it SERIOUSLY!
Big shout out to Rob Bailey!
How good does it feel to be able to put out your own CD?
Have your lives been leading up to this moment!!??
It feels liberating artistically and cripling economically. We're working
on a full length now and talking to a bunch of labels. The biggest problem
being an indie is distribution. And when you run the label, who writes the
songs and rocks the world on tour? The guy who runs the label? Boring!
What are your plans for the Headquarters? Is world domination
on the agenda?
World domination is too much on the table with America already! World collaboration
would be a better thing for everyone.
Can you give us some background & Influences perhaps
?, both USA bands and Uk bands that have helped mould the HQ sound?
There's too many to list. We're influenced by bands that have soul. True
believers with classic songwriting, a musical spirit, and a visual philosophy.
What is the current New York Garage scene like , has the
success of bands like The Strokes /Mooney Suzuki helped bands like yourselves
in any way ?
There are tons of bands clinging on to the Str*kes coat-tails in NY. They
actually move here thinking their going to find a scene, but with so many
bands it's very competative and sometimes backstabbing. Those bands definately
helped NYC music, but the St*kes being the saviors of "Rock n' Roll",
as NME put it, is crap. They'll tell you themselves. We actually recorded
the American Mod soundtrack at the same time as "Is This It",
with the same producer, Gordon Raphael.
Tell us the story behind American Mod the Film, what has
the impact been for you guys ?
We were trying to document the scene here at the turn of the century with
friends of ours as the characters in the film. Kind of like an ordinary
day in the life of a modern NYC modernist. The writer and director of the
film, Kolton Lee, is actually English though!
The film has played all over the world and is currently playing
on the Sundance Channel nationally in the States, and will be on Japanese
television soon. It's got the band world wide exposure. The DVD version
will be released with our first album. Soon!
What plans for the Uk can we expect to see HQ over here and gigging ?
releasing recordings..
2005 is the year you'll see us touring the UK. We can't wait! You guys look
at music in a very cool way, and the girls aren't bad either!
Sum up The HQ in 3 Mighty Words..
Stripes, Swirls, Phaze!
and say Goodnight to the folks of Sohostrut
Play it for me again, Tony! And NEVER GET BORING!