EAR FARM interviews Locksley

Locksley is a group of four guys originally from Wisconsin who've since moved to Brooklyn and captured many hearts and ears with their signature blend of the '60s British Invasion and '00s Garage Rock sound. They'll be part of the FREE day show lineup at the After the Jump Fest this weekend, and were kind enough to sit down in front of their computer(s) and answer a few questions for EAR FARM. What you'll find below are answers from the band as a whole, which are listed as being replied to by 'Locksley', and a few answers replied to by individual members of the band.
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I really appreciate you guys taking time to answer a few questions here, as well as being up for this gimmicky interview format based (for no particular reason) upon the title of a Pulp song ("Do you remember the first time?"). So if you're game, let's get on with the questions.

Do you remember...

1)....the first record that inspired you to want to make music of your own?

Kai: I would probably have to say Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins - I remember pouring over that album learning the songs, which in turn inspired me to write some absolutely terrible music.

Aaron: Help by the Beatles

Sam: Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari. I would listen and dance/run around to that album constantly when I was 6. I wrote a song called "Surf" on a Yamaha Clavinova. The song consisted of me pattering middle C and like G above and rambling "Surf, Surfin', Surf, Surf!", I am not sure I even knew what surfing was then.

2)....the first Locksley practice? Where was it, and what was it like?
And how has the band changed since then?

Locksley: Our first practice was in Sam's basement. At that time we were called The Philosopher Kings. We were just trying to learn a few songs because we had already booked a show. We filled in the rest of the set with skits and jokes. We've progressed quite a bit since then and… have a lot more songs.

3)....the first song you wrote as a band?

Locksley: One of our first songs was called "You and You and You". It was a nice little pop song.

4)....the first song of yours that got the band excited about Locksley's potential?

Locksley: We were all excited from the very beginning but I think the specific song that was a turning point was "Safely from the City". It showed our range and summed up how we felt as a band in New York.

5)....the first show Locksley played?

Locksley: Our first show ever was a fund-raiser in the auditorium of our high school. That was the one with the skits. We were very young.


6)....the first show in NYC?

Locksley: The first time we played in New York was at CBGB's Gallery (Locksley backstage at CBGB above). Oh my god that was hilarious. We have a video of it somewhere. We were not very good, and I think we played "Ruff Ryder's Anthem" by DMX. Hahaha!

7)....the first show you played with another band that made you go "wow, I can't believe we're playing with ___"?

Locksley: Opening for the Rapture was our first real vision of what the next level would be like. And since they're such an amazing band it helped give us a level of musicianship to shoot for. We're still working on that.

8)....the first band you guys were compared to? Most accurate comparison?

Locksley: We've always been compared to the Beatles. Both our music and Jesse's hair have Beatle-like qualities. While flattering we never find that completely accurate, especially with the direction we're going in. In our music you would probably find a blend of our influences including The Beatles, The Kinks, The Strokes, and The Libertines. It could probably be described as The Beatles mixed with Modern Garage Rock, but we like to think of it simply as Locksley.

9)....the first few months living in New York? Any "new to the city" horror stories?

Locksley: We got evicted and had all of our equipment stolen within the first 3 months of moving from Wisconsin. Welcome to New York, Locksley!

10)....the first time you heard your own songs on television?

Locksley: We did a video for Starz Movie Channel that played in between every movie. It was really cool seeing that for the first time. We got calls from relatives all the time saying "I just saw you on t.v.!". That's a good feeling.

11)....the first time you drank way too much beer, or ate far too many sausages (or cheese), or went to a dairy farm on a field trip, or had to shovel so much snow you thought you'd die, or any of a number of other stereotypical Madison/Wisconsin things such as football games, Brat Fest, etc?

Kai: I don't remember my first too-much-beer-drunk (probably had too much beer) although I do remember waking up in a university dorm bathroom of a certain university that I didn't attend. In my fourth grade class there was an entire unit devoted to learning the differences between breeds of cattle, which ensued with a super-fun to foray into cattle-crap land. Although I rarely stuff myself with stereotypical foodstuffs in my home state (I don't really eat cheese very much), I have been witness to a few eating contests. We Wisconsinites have a lot of deals at restaurants with the following rule: if you eat the whole thing it's free. Many of my friends ate five-pound burgers, and my manager once ate an absolutely massive steak and baked potato and pumpkin pie and large coke (he got a medal).

Aaron: Bratfest! Yeah, we've all done the stereotypical Wisconsin things and love them all.

Sam: Bratfest 1998 I had well over ten brats in the course of a day and ended up un-eating about five of them.
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If you enjoy fests, you're in luck. After the Jump Fest 2007 is going to be held this Saturday, the 25th of August at Studio B in Brooklyn. You can see Locksley there for FREE, along with many many other great bands.

Listen:
"All Over Again"

Visit Locksley on MySpace.