ATTN - Nada Surf fans

Fish · 10-30-2002, 05:34 PM

Anyone with any questions for Nada Surf, please post them here or email them to [email protected] as i'm interviewing them tommorrow and don't have a lot to ask them..

lucky_13 · 10-30-2002, 06:39 PM

are you a fan? there are always lots of questions to ask bands....

favorite venue to play at?
how they've progressed through the albums
about their "one hit"
their communication with fans
if they've ever met or played with musicians they've looked up to
their tribute album contributions (iggy pop, big star, pixies)
what they think of the scene now?
would they go back to a major if they got the chance?

just check out their site. its very informative.

Best Looking Boy · 10-30-2002, 06:47 PM

Ask them about the mystery surrounding cult followings of one hit wonder bands that actually are just one hit wonder bands.

Fish · 10-30-2002, 07:07 PM

I'm a fan to the extent where i've heard about 10-15 of their songs that i've downloaded over the years. I like them, but their albums aren't easy to get hold of over here (well I haven't really looked for them hard) and I don't own any. If that makes sense.

Fish · 10-30-2002, 07:14 PM

I was going to ask them about
The problems with High proximity
Whether they like playing acoustic shows/electric shows more and what it means to them artistically. Would they ever make an entirely acoustic album
Was the recording process different for the new album as it feels a lot more mature
How it feels on their new label who are giving them proper promotion and tour support
How they feel about the current trend to hype bands and cause them to explode fast (like the vines who they have played with recently) and would they like that kind of attention?
"Popular" (and will they play it tonight, first Welsh date ever!)

lucky_13 · 10-30-2002, 07:34 PM

they haven't played popular in years. and when they do they do a wacky version of it.

ask them some fun questions too. interviews get boring for bands.

severin · 10-31-2002, 07:35 PM

ask them how they managed to do the tour after filter dropped out...and what they think about taping (sbd?)

Electron52 · 11-01-2002, 02:15 AM

Why do they release the albums in europe before the USA so often?

Are they going to tour with the Fontaine Toups?

tear stained glass · 11-01-2002, 02:57 AM

Ask them how they take their coffee!

Sacred Age Of Innocence · 11-05-2002, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by severin
ask them how they managed to do the tour after filter dropped out...and what they think about taping (sbd?)

They are pro taping & sbd isn't a problem. I'd assume at worst it depends on venue but they are ok with it personally.

mojo · 11-06-2002, 10:44 PM

how did they get on with the vines who they supported last week in london?

Fish · 11-07-2002, 10:06 AM

Yeah, that was like a week ago, so here is the interview typed up. I asked tonnes of other stuff, but I was only allowed 500 words. Thanks to everyone who helped

Despite having been together as a band for seven years and having released three albums, New York trio Nada Surf had only managed to play one previous tour and a handful of dates in UK before their current tour that has seen them play their first ever Welsh date and several dates with the Vines. "We had difficulty squeezing all our songs into half an hour, but luckily they've given us an extra ten minutes which is about perfect for us. We feel that with a lot of the crowd we're the second band they've ever seen with the first being (the other support band on the tour) the Bandits and that if we played any longer we'd be outstaying our welcome."

Their lack of touring was mainly due to problems with their label Elektra in the US who in 1998 refused to release their second full-length "The Proximity Effect" due to a lack of hit singles. "At the time I tried to pretend it didn't hurt" says singer/guitarist Matthew Caws, "but I was actually pretty shocked because I think it's a really good record. It was at a bad time because the window was closing on alternative music and all the record companies were freaking out." Being dropped didn't help the one hit wonder tag the band had acquired after the video for Popular off 1996's "High/Low" was heavily rotated on MTV. "It's funny because at our new label Heavenly hadn't heard it and just signed us on this record which is really nice for us as it's getting by on it's own merit."

Being label-less also helped the band (Completed by bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira Elliot) with the making of "Let Go." "It was kind of a luxury because we didn't have any pressure on us. It was a lot like making our first album again as we were making it as normal people, not pop stars. We didn't have to pay attention to what we "should" be doing and didn't have to write a super-smash song or think of how we could re-capture our audience again."

Matthew attributes the band's diverse style to "being torn between super-rock like the Ramones and Led Zeppelin and the totally twee dreamy stuff like Simon and Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young," but says that the more mellow and mature sound on "Let Go" comes from listening to a lot of alt-country and blue-grass during their time off. "We always felt like we had to rock but this time we had the freedom to make a record that's both of those things."

Having played entirely acoustic shows in the past, Matthew is keen to experiment with the possibilities this brings "We want to do a tour of Eastern Europe and Russia in a van with a small PA. Playing acoustically makes our equipment a lot more portable and our music more accessible. People who wouldn't normally listen to us can enjoy our music." Musically though he seems that he wants to move away from that simplicity. "I don't think we'll get any softer, I think we've done that. I've been listening to a lot of rock-dance music, stuff like the B-52's that doesn't have any typical dance elements but is really dance music. I'm not sure what we'll do, all I know is that it will be at a tangent."

©Owain Cooke 2002

10-30-2002, 05:34 PM	#1
Fish Demi-God Location: London (Cardiff Uni in term time) UK Posts: 392	ATTN - Nada Surf fans Anyone with any questions for Nada Surf, please post them here or email them to [email protected] as i'm interviewing them tommorrow and don't have a lot to ask them..

10-31-2002, 07:35 PM	#7
severin no more than sympathy Location: lying on the floor Posts: 14,826	ask them how they managed to do the tour after filter dropped out...and what they think about taping (sbd?) __________________ i once told a To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. that nothing really ends

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10-30-2002, 06:39 PM	#2
lucky_13 Apocalyptic Poster Location: for joke! Posts: 2,235	are you a fan? there are always lots of questions to ask bands.... favorite venue to play at? how they've progressed through the albums about their "one hit" their communication with fans if they've ever met or played with musicians they've looked up to their tribute album contributions (iggy pop, big star, pixies) what they think of the scene now? would they go back to a major if they got the chance? just check out their site. its very informative.

10-30-2002, 06:47 PM	#3
Best Looking Boy Apocalyptic Poster Location: Austin, TX Posts: 3,414	Ask them about the mystery surrounding cult followings of one hit wonder bands that actually are just one hit wonder bands.

10-30-2002, 07:07 PM	#4
Fish Demi-God Location: London (Cardiff Uni in term time) UK Posts: 392	I'm a fan to the extent where i've heard about 10-15 of their songs that i've downloaded over the years. I like them, but their albums aren't easy to get hold of over here (well I haven't really looked for them hard) and I don't own any. If that makes sense.

10-30-2002, 07:14 PM	#5
Fish Demi-God Location: London (Cardiff Uni in term time) UK Posts: 392	I was going to ask them about The problems with High proximity Whether they like playing acoustic shows/electric shows more and what it means to them artistically. Would they ever make an entirely acoustic album Was the recording process different for the new album as it feels a lot more mature How it feels on their new label who are giving them proper promotion and tour support How they feel about the current trend to hype bands and cause them to explode fast (like the vines who they have played with recently) and would they like that kind of attention? "Popular" (and will they play it tonight, first Welsh date ever!)

10-30-2002, 07:34 PM	#6
lucky_13 Apocalyptic Poster Location: for joke! Posts: 2,235	they haven't played popular in years. and when they do they do a wacky version of it. ask them some fun questions too. interviews get boring for bands.

11-01-2002, 02:15 AM	#8
Electron52 Ownz Location: Herndon, VA Posts: 663	Why do they release the albums in europe before the USA so often? Are they going to tour with the Fontaine Toups?

11-01-2002, 02:57 AM	#9
tear stained glass Minion of Satan Location: el lay Posts: 7,647	Ask them how they take their coffee!

11-06-2002, 10:44 PM	#11
mojo Ownz Location: london, uk Posts: 546	how did they get on with the vines who they supported last week in london?

11-07-2002, 10:06 AM	#12
Fish Demi-God Location: London (Cardiff Uni in term time) UK Posts: 392	Yeah, that was like a week ago, so here is the interview typed up. I asked tonnes of other stuff, but I was only allowed 500 words. Thanks to everyone who helped Despite having been together as a band for seven years and having released three albums, New York trio Nada Surf had only managed to play one previous tour and a handful of dates in UK before their current tour that has seen them play their first ever Welsh date and several dates with the Vines. "We had difficulty squeezing all our songs into half an hour, but luckily they've given us an extra ten minutes which is about perfect for us. We feel that with a lot of the crowd we're the second band they've ever seen with the first being (the other support band on the tour) the Bandits and that if we played any longer we'd be outstaying our welcome." Their lack of touring was mainly due to problems with their label Elektra in the US who in 1998 refused to release their second full-length "The Proximity Effect" due to a lack of hit singles. "At the time I tried to pretend it didn't hurt" says singer/guitarist Matthew Caws, "but I was actually pretty shocked because I think it's a really good record. It was at a bad time because the window was closing on alternative music and all the record companies were freaking out." Being dropped didn't help the one hit wonder tag the band had acquired after the video for Popular off 1996's "High/Low" was heavily rotated on MTV. "It's funny because at our new label Heavenly hadn't heard it and just signed us on this record which is really nice for us as it's getting by on it's own merit." Being label-less also helped the band (Completed by bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira Elliot) with the making of "Let Go." "It was kind of a luxury because we didn't have any pressure on us. It was a lot like making our first album again as we were making it as normal people, not pop stars. We didn't have to pay attention to what we "should" be doing and didn't have to write a super-smash song or think of how we could re-capture our audience again." Matthew attributes the band's diverse style to "being torn between super-rock like the Ramones and Led Zeppelin and the totally twee dreamy stuff like Simon and Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young," but says that the more mellow and mature sound on "Let Go" comes from listening to a lot of alt-country and blue-grass during their time off. "We always felt like we had to rock but this time we had the freedom to make a record that's both of those things." Having played entirely acoustic shows in the past, Matthew is keen to experiment with the possibilities this brings "We want to do a tour of Eastern Europe and Russia in a van with a small PA. Playing acoustically makes our equipment a lot more portable and our music more accessible. People who wouldn't normally listen to us can enjoy our music." Musically though he seems that he wants to move away from that simplicity. "I don't think we'll get any softer, I think we've done that. I've been listening to a lot of rock-dance music, stuff like the B-52's that doesn't have any typical dance elements but is really dance music. I'm not sure what we'll do, all I know is that it will be at a tangent." ©Owain Cooke 2002