Schizophrenic Lucky Rock and Other Sunny Things: An Interview with Silversun Pickups

The SMP is proud to present yet another interview from an well known alternative rock band by the name of Silversun Pickups. The band has been making music since 2002 and have released two albums and four EPs since. One of their single's, "Panic Switch" hit number 1 on the alternative charts and their latest album Swoon hit number 7 on the Billboard top 100. Jennifer Llyod talked to the band's bassist, Nikki Monninger.

Previously published in The Knox Student in April 1, 2010

Nikki Monninger, the bassist for Silversun Pickups talked with me about their tour with Muse, why she choose music and live performances.

Nikki: Did you enjoy the Muse light show? I really liked watching it. It’s nice to see a band that prides themselves on putting on a good show. I don’t think we’ll have a million lasers in our future but it’s nice to see what other bands are doing. And it’s over the top but I think they do it really well.

Jenn Lloyd: Where did you get the band name from and were there other ideas?

NM : I think it was always Silversun Pickups. We got the name from a liquor store called Silversun Liquor and was on the corner of Boulevard. We joked around that it would be called “A Couple of Couples” because we started out with Brian [Aubert] (lead vocals and guitar) and his girlfriend at the time and me and my boyfriend at the time, so it was two couples. But it’s pretty much always been Silversun Pickups.

JL: How would you describe the band’s music?

NM: Brian likes to say we’re schizophrenic lucky rock; basically indie alternative music.

JL: How did the band create their style?

NM: It’s just what happens when the four of us get together. We could potentially plan on a sound, but our sound is just what has happened from playing together over the years.

JL: Why did you personally decide that you wanted to be a musician and be in a band?

NM: It’s always been in the back of my mind. My mother put me in piano lessons when I was five years old and I took lessons for ten years so I’ve always kind of been around music. Then when I went to college, my best friend’s brother was selling a bass so I decided to buy it for $100. When we were starting the band we didn’t have a bass player and I’ve always enjoyed listening to the bass, I’ve always been drawn to the instrument. But in college I didn’t want to major in music because I didn’t want to burn out from it, so I majored in art history.

JL: If you weren’t in music what other career would you have had?

NM: In college I interned at several record companies…so I was always doing things related to music. So, yeah, I’d probably be working on some videos I was working with a little bit.

JL: Did you ever have any interest in art history professionally?

NM: Yeah, definitely. I’d always be interested in working with a museum or along those lines. That’s also a very competitive market and there aren’t a lot of jobs open. That is something I would definitely have done if I hadn’t gone the music route.

JL: What music did you listen to growing up?

NM: It’s kind of diverse, but during my formative years Modest Mouse, Wilco, but also Madonna and Prince. But in general, we have a lot that we all grew up listening to, which brought us together as friends first and then we started the band a few years later.

JL: Who writes the lyrics and what is the creative process that you guys go through?

NM: Brian writes most of the lyrics. Sometimes, when I do my parts I’ll write those parts, but in general, Brian writes all the lyrics. He’ll come in with song ideas and then we’ll work out creating some songs. Then the lyrics will come in usually only after we’ve been recording in the studio. He’ll have melodies but he likes to wait till towards the end of the recording process for the lyrics.

JL: What is your favorite song or songs to perform live?

NM: We really like starting off with “Growing Old is Getting Old,” and I love playing that song. I like how it begins quietly and just builds. It’s also a harder song for me to play so I enjoy the bass end of it. I’d say that’s my favorite one to play right now.

JL: How do you think hearing your music live is a different experience than hearing recorded?

NM: We’re able to get more dynamic live, and, musically, can mix sounds more live. We don’t want it to sound exactly like the CD but, at the same time, we don’t want to stray too far from it. Live is more of an extension of the CD.

JL: Where is your favorite venue to perform?

NM: One of my favorites is The Fillmore in San Francisco. Right now we’re playing in a lot of arenas but before that we were in a lot of theaters. I enjoy playing in those because there’s so much history to them. Also The Wiltern in Los Angeles.

JL: How has Silversun Pickups gotten along with Muse?

NM: We get in a lot earlier than them, so before the show we don’t get to see them. But once the show is over, we’ll see them backstage. They’re very nice and it interesting to see Matt [Bellamy] so reserved after rocking out before during the show. They’ve been really nice to us.

JL: What is it like being the only female touring with all the men?

NM: Luckily there are some girls working with Muse so I’m not the only girl backstage. But overall, it is mostly a male dominated area. I get along well with everyone so they’re fun to travel with. There is about ten of us that travel together and we’ve been traveling together so long that they’re like brothers to me.

JL: How does Muse's over-the-top performance mix with Silversun Pickup's relaxed show?

NM: As an opening band, we just don’t get the opportunity to have all the craziness, but they have definitely inspired us for our upcoming headlining tours. It’s opened up a whole world of what lights can do. In general, we focus so much on the music, we sometimes forget that a light show could be cool to watch as well.

New (Crystal) Music (Sounds) Monday

Monday grinders, welcome to the new year! What 2011 will bring, I have no idea. Just know, the SMP is going to be here to turn you onto new music and love on the old. This is the first NMM of the year, so I looked deep and wide, trying to find some good stuff. If you don't like what I pick this week, remember, come back next week and see what's new- you might like that!

So... you can probably tell we here at the SMP like The Beatles. A lot. And The Beatles (as well as other guitar wielding 60s and 70s bands) influenced a genre called britpop, which is right where today's chosen band fits in.



The song is "The Loneliest Star" and the band is Thirteen Senses. Their album, Crystal Sounds, is coming out in February and I will be looking for it. The song is traditional indie pop of sorts, but leaks with a little something I just can't give words to. I got to say, I love Britpop. In fact, I love most anything British. Now take that and run with it!

-Whitni

Let's Get Big - New Music Monday

I know, I know, this New Music Monday is coming a tad later than usual, but no worries, I have your new music!

This week's song comes from a British band was first known as Fear of Flying. In October 2007 they posted on their MySpace (Remember MySpace, that thing that everyone used to use before Facebook came along? Yeah, that MySpace) page, "Fear of Flying is DEAD... White Lies is alive!" That's when their sound got a lot darker and (supposedly) a lot more mature. They seem to have a split music-ality (your music personality); one is very indie-pop and is compared to bands like Franz Ferdinand and The Killers, while the other is a darker sound, like Arcade Fire and Interpol. There's even a bit of 80s sound, like Tears For Fears.



I myself hear a little Duran Duran in the guys voice, but maybe that's just me. The song is "Bigger Than Us" by White Lies. I love the video; it's odd, layered with pieces of a puzzle I haven't yet put together. Watch and decide for yourself. And be careful- it makes you want chocolate!

-Whitni

Whatever You Think This Is, That's What It Is

Like the title? Well, if you do, you're sure to like the title of the album being reviewed here- Arctic Monkey's debut album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not."

I have to say, I do love the Arctic Monkeys. They've got that energy you can also find in artists like Panic At The Disco, The Fratellis (before they broke up) and The Strokes. This music makes me want to dance in my chair and slaps a smile on my face.

This album, which I will label from now on as "Whatever People Say...", is one so close to to be an album I love to love. Right now that spot is reserved by both Vampire Weekend albums, the first two All-American Rejects albums, Coldplay's last two albums, too many Beatles albums to name, The Fratellis debut album, too many John Mayer albums to name, and Mika's "Life In Cartoon Motion". Basically, I love all the songs on all of these albums, and that's no easy thing for me to do. But I got really, really close with this album.

My favourite on this album was "Mardy Bum", which never became a single but I wish it had. It's leaking with all the good stuff we music people love. The guitar riffs catch you right in the beginning of the song and as soon as you hear lead vocalist Alex Turner's beautiful British voice come through your speakers you melt where you stand. The song is poetry, a tale of misfortune and the not so nice side of people. Another favourite of mine is "You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me". Whoo, that is a mouthful! Truthfully, I couldn't understand half of what Turner was saying over guitarist Jamie Cook and drummer Matt Helders, but I looked up the lyrics later so all was well.

My other favourite on "Whatever People Say..." happened to be the last song- "A Certain Romance". This song grabbed my attention from a very good book and was so good I had to listen again.

I am not exactly sure of which songs Raivynn was digging, but I know she liked "Mardy Bum" and I think she liked their hit off that album, "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor".

I wasn't really into the song "Fake Tales of San Franciso." It didn't reach that level of good the other songs on this album reached. But even this song wasn't that bad.

I'm always split with bands like this. Bands that are so good you want them to be popular so everyone can hear their music, but you also want them to stay slightly unknown because you see their goodness when no one else does and that makes you feel special.

This album is great and I recommend it to all and everyone. It's definitely one for the books and I can't imagine a greater album to get a band off the ground and onto the charts.

Whitni

PS- This extra little part is just for the chickas reading this blog. I don't know about you girls, but it never hurts when a band is not only good, but the members aren't so bad-looking either. If you don't know what I mean, take one good look at Alex Turner.



PPS- Before hearing and reviewing this album I had only heard one notable song from the Arctic Monkeys. It's called "Fluorescent Adolescent" and it's off the album "Favourite Worst Nightmare". This is one amazing song and happens to be in my latest top ten, along with "Yellow" by Coldplay, "Hey Ma" by Cam'ron and "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" by Shakira. Check it out!

Some Like It Hot...

Warning: This album had been listened to before this project, and may create some unintended bias, though I doubt that will happen.

I have to say, The Killers are one of my favorite bands. I own two of their albums (their second album, Sam's Town and their latest, Day & Age), and I rarely get tired of them, though "Somebody Told Me" is starting to get on my f**king nerves, which brings me to the album of theirs I'll be reviewing- Hot Fuss.

Hot Fuss is electric and memorizing, but only for a while. I have to say, I personally was digging Sam's Town a lot more. But I try not to get into the habit of comparing albums.

Hot Fuss had some killers (no pun intended) on it. My all-time favorite Killers song is on this album- "All These Things I've Done". I love this song, it's my anthem of sorts. The song starts out soft, but by the end it's got you shaking your head and stomping your feet. You can hear the gospel influences in the song, something most rockers don't like to touch. The Killers though, they're fearless.

Another good one on the album is "Andy, You're A Star". I don't know what it was about this song, but among the good, the bad, and the in-between on this album, this baby stood out. I wanted to sing along so bad, but I didn't know the words.

"Smile Like You Mean It" is another good lick on this album. It's catchy, but not in a Lady Gaga way, where it's going to get stuck in your head no matter how much you don't want it to. No, I know I don't mind having this tune stuck in my head all day long.

This album was a bit strange in ways. It's not bad, but listening to it you get a real feel of what The Killers sound like, and how they can improve. This album is like their first kid, so that by the second and third time around they know what they're doing a little bit more.

I have to give them credit though, "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me", their two most well known songs, were both on that album. Kudos to you Brandon, Dave, Mark and Ronnie. There's is not a doubt in my mind that even though The Killers are taking a little break right now, when they go back to the studio to record they will create music the world won't even be ready for.

-Whitni

PS- Supposedly, on the UK version of Hot Fuss instead of the song "Change Your Mind" there's a song called "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll." Lead singer Brandon Flowers says it is his least favorite Killers song. Go figure!