The orchestral indie-rock sextet, We Are The Willows, have been steadily winning the hearts of the Upper Midwest and beyond for the last five years. Their second full-length, Picture (Portrait), has received some well deserved buzz for not only establishing and conveying a poignant and personal story without coming off as trite, but displaying top notch musicianship and inspired arrangements as well. As an anecdote, they are one of the most pleasant and charming groups of people I have ever met. See you at the show on Friday.
The Interview Part:
It’s not a new idea to start a community around music, and there are plenty of them in and around Minneapolis, but we hadn’t really found ours. So, we decided to put a name on the small community we already had it in an attempt to solidify it and build upon it. An umbrella to bring people under and a way to connect the web of musicians that we are fortunate enough to surround ourselves with.
Your second full-length album, Picture (Portrait),was released on Tuesday and it has gotten quite a bit of recognition. The premise is pretty special. Tell me about it, please.
Peter: The album is based on over 350 letters my Grandpa wrote to my Grandma while he was stationed in the South West pacific during World War II. I’ve had a lot of different aims in writing these songs, but essentially it was my way of getting to know my Grandpa more and maybe through that, getting to know myself a bit more too.
Buzzfeed picked you up. Has internet stardom changed your world? Who
gets the most hatemail?
Peter: No hatemail yet. Though plenty of folks think there is a woman singing all our songs.
What is your favorite type of poop? Consider consistency, texture, smell, etc. What satisfies you?
Peter: Real solid. Nice and clean.
Due to the content of this album, it’s fair to say that Peter took the helm on the songwriting (or is it?). How’s it been in the past? How does it go down when you all come to the table? How do you, as a 6 piece, write a song?
Peter: I came to the table with a lot of the components; words, melodies, chords, basic arrangement, but it all got more life breathed into it by everyone else. Each song became its own living thing because everyone put a bit of them selves into it.
If someone were to tell your love story who would it be? Think narration, their perspective of events, etc.
Peter: Probably R.L. Stine
Postcards and hand written letters seem to have been replaced by websites and social media. Have any of you dabbled in the online dating arena?
Leah: HA! Absolutely not. I’m personally so against it.
Peter: I haven’t, and have felt a bit uncomfortable with the notion of approaching that, however, I think its pretty amazing that an interface exists where a person can get an idea of possible compatible partners. You can know a lot about a person from an online profile. That’s kinda cool. I mean, doesn’t it suck to go on a couple dates and be interested in some one then find out that one thing about them that’s a total deal breaker for you? And that one thing is usually the type of thing that people qualify on their online profiles. I don’t know. It doesn’t seem romantic, but now, more than ever, we have little social and biological obligations to find partners. When we do, its because we really want to spend time with them. Maybe online stuff helps facilitate that? Maybe when people decide to be together forever this day in age, its for the right reasons.
My symbol for the martial arts studio would be a unicorn in a defensive stance (on 2 legs) with a rainbow karate belt on. duh.
What were you listening to in 1999?
Leah: Many of the big hits like, No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom,” Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” Destiny’s Child, TLC…but I was also raised on a lot of 60’s and 70’s music, so I listened to a lot of Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Beatles of course, and lots and lots of classical music.
Peter: Oh god. The band P.O.D. And just turning on skate videos and listening to the sound of dudes doing sweet grinds.
Jeremiah: Lots of “christian” metal, punk, ska and emo. I’m not sure what that even means anymore, but that stuff was really influential. i.e.: ZAO-liberate te ex inferis, The Juliana Theory – Understand This is Dream, Underoath – Acts of Depression, Stretch Armstrong – Rituals of Life, The Appleseed Cast – The End of The Ring Wars
What’s The Homestead Records all about?
Jeremiah: The Homestead Records was formed by Peter, Travis and myself as an attempt to surround ourselves and our friends with as much music as possible. It’s not a new idea to start a community around music, and there are plenty of them in and around Minneapolis, but we hadn’t really found ours. So, we decided to put a name on the small community we already had it in an attempt to solidify it and build upon it. An umbrella to bring people under and a way to connect the web of musicians that we are fortunate enough to surround ourselves with. It’s also an excuse to work within our other passions, such as video and audio production, helping artists understand DIY ethics, and sharing knowledge and resources that we’ve gathered from our collective 30+ years of playing in bands. I would like to see The Homestead Records reach Doomtree caliber. That crew has done some really incredible things by putting a name on their group of friends and collaborators, and in the indie-rock world I just haven’t seen that happen too often.
If you were to bring a dish to a potluck, what would it be?
Hilary: I would bring jello salad to a potluck, molded into a rippled bunt pan.
Leah: Donuts, if I was feeling naughty, or some sort of spinach and quinoa salad if I’m being real.
Jeremiah: Jalapeño popper soup. It’s mostly bacon. It’s to die for…or die from.
Say there was a shredding competition – all stringed instruments allowed. Of your band, who’s got the metal in their veins?
Leah: Travis, I think. He’s kind of a badass….who also writes poetry.
Peter: Travis. He is the best ever. Also, when Jer’s hair is long he makes a pretty kick ass metal dude.
Jeremiah: Thankfully, you limited it to stringed instruments because I can out-shred anyone in the band, but I don’t think I could keep up with Stephen’s polyrhythms and blast beats!
What’s your favorite part that you played on the new album?
Jeremiah: For this batch of songs I approached writing my parts in a really new way. In an attempt to not fall into the habit of reaching into my tool bag and pulling out the type of parts I am inclined to write, I often conceptualized parts before I wrote them. I thought about what chord shapes would feel good to play, how I wanted the part to move or repeat and forced myself to work it into a song. I also wrote parts on my own without a song in mind and found ways to adapt them into songs once they presented themselves. One of my favorite examples is the guitar part on the chorus of “Turpentine to an Open Wound”, it’s subtle, but I decided a lot of how I wanted it to sound before ever playing a note. On the other end of the spectrum, I also love the guitar parts on “Picture” because most of them were written very ‘in-the-moment’ and I’m not sure they should even work, but my bandmates still get really excited when I play them and that rules.
If you opened your own martial arts studio, what would be the symbol?
Hilary: My symbol for the martial arts studio would be a unicorn in a defensive stance (on 2 legs) with a rainbow karate belt on. duh.
Leah: WHEN I open my own martial arts studio, it will be a peace sign, cannabis leaf, equal sign, arrow combination. My lawyers don’t want me to reveal any more.
Jeremiah: A Bear! With Snakes! For Arms!
Upcoming Local Shows:
Who: We Are The Willows, J.E. Sunde, and Har-di-Har
What: Picture (Portrait) Album Release Show
When: Friday, November 7th, 9:30 pm
Where: Ed’s (no name) Bar
How Much: $5 cover at the door
Comments
One response to “We Are The Willows: New Album, New Label, and Bears with Snakes for Arms”
I think I would have fielded that love story question with the exact same answer Peter. If a dude can write three Night of the Living Dummys, then he should be more than qualified to write anything.