Ringo Deathstarr Interview

All the way from Austin, Texas, Ringo Deathstarr mix hypnotic melodies with hard, ferocious noise. They invoke the dream-pop sound of the early 90s, so it's fitting that they find themselves on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins. I spoke to them just after their set at the O2 Academy in Sheffield.

The Yorker: How do you think the show went?

Alex Gehring (bass): It wasn't our best, but it wasn't bad. We didn't get our soundcheck today, so it's kind of weird when you're going out there and not sure what to expect and how it will sound.

Elliott Frazier (vocals and guitar): It's kind of weird too because I feel that we're playing well and better than we've ever have before but...there were people who were here to see the Pumpkins so it's..

Alex: Not really getting the response we were looking for [laughs]

The Yorker: So if you're touring with a band as well known as the Smashing Pumpkins, is it more of a blessing or a curse?

Alex: It's definitely a blessing. It's been really awesome to tour with them, and they've all being so nice to us.

Elliot: There are definitely people out there who are into [our show] and we're winning over some new fans, but it's just so weird to be opening for the Pumpkins. When you hear them playing their instruments...I dunno, they're like Queen or something.

The Yorker: So what was your first reaction when you got the call saying the Pumpkins wanted you on their tour?

Elliot: We couldn't believe it. It was Jeff Schroeder [current guitarist in the Pumpkins] who contacted us. It was really surreal and amazing.

The Yorker: Obviously you're from America - Austin in Texas, I think. How do the audiences in England compare to those in America?

Elliot: You just love music more it seems.

Alex: At least our music more...

Elliot: America is just too concerned with what Pitchfork says. You don't need Pitchfork, Pitchfork completely ignored us yet here we are playing this gig.

Alex: Also I think people just rely on Pitchfork to an extreme, especially in America...

Elliot: Yeah, they just like what they're told to like.

Alex: Exactly, and then it's created the 'buzz' there, where a band explodes in popularity and then, where are they the next year?

Elliot: They're gone.

Alex: It's almost better for us to escape that whole thing.

Elliot: Yeah, we might not have that rocket propulsion of Pitchfork's Top Ten but we've been around longer than any of those bands and we're gonna be around longer.

The Yorker: You have been around for quite a while - you formed in 2005, and then am I right in saying your first release was in 2007?

Elliot: Yeah in 2007 we all kind of gelled and I recorded some songs with Alex, and then we started touring a few months after that.

The Yorker: And how'd you meet? Were you all in any bands beforehand?

Alex: For me, I was only in high school bands before that. I met Elliot when he came to a store where I worked. He worked right down the street and served free alcohol and we'd drink free beer...

Elliot: And Red Bull...I'd been in like ten bands before, but I was a drummer in all those bands, so I decided that I was gonna sing and play guitar and it paid off. I should have done it a lot sooner I guess! [laughs]

The Yorker: I've got to ask this, and I'm sure you get it all the time - where did the name come from?

Elliot: Well...there was this angel that came to me and revealed a cave with a golden scroll. I had to have the angel translate what it said to me.

The Yorker: Has it got to the point where everybody asks that question that you're sick of it?

Alex: That's Elliot's favourite new answer.

Elliot: It's the true answer.

The Yorker: So you've released your début album this year, but you've been going at it for a while - do you think your sounds progressed or changed at all?

Elliot: Yeah, it's kind of like learning how to play the blues. You just get better at it. How many albums has BB King made? They're all blues albums. ZZ Top? They're all blues based. We're not trying to set out and forge new musical territory. We're using traditional chord progressions and pop melodies and trying to have fun with it and make noise. It's all about how much poppier and nosier we can get at the same time, that's the quest that we're on right now.

The Yorker: I hear a lot of people say 'shoegaze' when it comes to describing your music. Do you buy into that?

Elliot: It's kind of a joke to me [laughs]. You gotta be able to laugh at yourself and laugh at the whole thing. You can't take yourself too seriously and be concerned with anything like that.

The Yorker: So what's next for the band?

Alex: We really need to work on the new album. And go back to our day jobs.

The Yorker: What are your day jobs?

Alex: I work at a coffee shop.

Elliot: I work at American Apparel in the back, shipping and receiving shipments.

The Yorker: That's quite amazing that you go off and tour the world with the Smashing Pumpkins and go back to your day jobs. How do you adjust to that?

Elliot: Well, you've got to make money somehow. Lord knows we ain't making any today.

The Yorker: Final question, what are three records that you'd recommend today?

Elliot: I would recommend Helmet's album 'Betty' from 1994. I guess I would have to say Helmet's first two albums...so that's three...and maybe Soundgarden's first EP.

Ringo Deathstarr's new EP Shadow is out now.

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