Interview with Them Guns and check out their video for Somebody Called The Cops

Music Junkie Press: We love the video for “Somebody Called The Cops.” Can you tell us a little bit about the song?

Navarone Garibaldi (Frontman & Guitar): Yeah, “Somebody Called The Cops” is about the whole world becoming a police state — blow a little smoke and you never know who’s watching, who wants to turn you in or whatever… All our rights are being stripped from us while we laugh and tweet about it the whole time.

Music Junkie Press:  Can you tell us a little more about the writing and recording process for “Cops”?

Navarone Garibaldi: That one came together quickly and it really flowed…it seems like lately, it’s been really easy for us to come up with new material in the studio or in rehearsal these days, spontaneously. 

Kyle Hamood (Keyboards & Vocoder): The song actually started with our drummer Chris coming up with the intro and after a little jamming and arranging, it just stuck.

Chuck Holiday (Bass & Vocals): Vocally, it’s a pretty interesting song compared to everything else in our repertoire. The loop that Chris came up with was really cool and the delayed vocals are a little similar to a record scratching.

Chris Hudson (Drums): I think the songwriting process for this one was one of our most organic experiences, because we weren’t necessarily trying to write anything. It was back when we rehearsed in the living room at the house that Kyle and I rent, and we were all just messing around with each others’ instruments. I happened to be on the keyboards, messing with a setting that Kyle had, one thing led to another and it just all came together right there and then.

Music Junkie Press:  We understand that you will be heading out to SXSW, that is quite exciting. Will this be your first time and can you tell us about the shows you have planned along the way?

Chuck: Yeah, thanks for asking — this will be our first time playing SXSW — our show there is Tuesday Night, March 15 at the Dirty Dog Bar, and that night e’re playing with P.O.D., Hed PE and Open Hand. Leading up to Austin, we’ll be hitting Club Red in Mesa, AZ on March 10 and then playing The Boxcar in Sante Fe, NM on March 11. I’m pretty stoked because I have a lot of family out there who have loved the band from the beginning. Chris went to school in Arizona, so I know that he’s really happy to return. Kyle is looking forward to seeing the sights of the American Southwest including but not limited to, Native American Cave Dwellings and UFO crash sites. Navarone might check out a rattlesnake convention out there! Visit our website for all the latest show dates and updates.

Music Junkie Press:  You guys bring to life my great love for synth, reminiscent of many 90’s nights in SF for me. Who were some of the bands that most inspired you to create your own unique style and sound?

Chemical Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age…just to name a few.

Music Junkie Press:  You have us addicted to “Somebody Called The Cops” — do you have an album out now or in the works? Where can we all get our hands on it?

Thanks! Right now, you can find “Somebody Called The Cops” on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. We have a full-length indie album completed that we currently sell on our merch table. Since recording “Cops,” we have a ton of other material we’re working on as well, so depending on how things go in the future, we’ll decide then on how we can best get our music to the believers out there.

Music Junkie Press:  Your music captures a depth of emotion at the same time instills a fun dance vibe. Do you have a particular writing style?

Usually music first, then words. We live with it for awhile and then see what works best. We also do lots of rearranging in the studio — that’s pretty much the way we work.

Music Junkie Press:  To get everyone to know you guys better, can you share a little bit with us: If you could go back to your 14-year old self, what advice would you tell to yourself?

Music Junkie Press:  If we could take a peak into your iPod or playlist, what artist or song might we be the most surprised at finding in there?

Navarone: Taylor Swift (lots of different tracks), Bertie Higgins “Key Largo” 

Kyle: Marian Hill, Beyoncé

Chuck: Sara Bareilles

Chris: The Neighbourhood, Katy Perry, Fatboy Slim

Music Junkie Press:  If you could be trapped in a television show for a week, what show would you want to be trapped in?

We might swing by Las Vegas for a show date on our way back from Austin. We’re definitely considering a west coast tour, so hopefully that would include Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. We’ll let you know!

Music Junkie Press:  Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with your fans or our audience?

Navarone: With the little music we have put out so far, we’ve had a great reception from everybody, and we’re excited to give them more to enjoy. We’re looking forward to the day when the whole crowd is singing along with us.

• Website: http://www.themgunsmusic.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThemGuns/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/THEMGUNS
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