HUNDRED HEADS

One of the fun things about doing the interviews for this blog is that I don't always know what I'm getting into. If it hasn't been clear, and it probably hasn't, Dreyfest is run by a few people, and the folks in charge of taking submissions and forming the lineup aren't necessarily the ones doing the promotional stuff (like this). So when I chose to send out questions to a Chicago band called Hundred Heads, I thought I had probably picked out an angry band with throat-shredding vocals and intentionally discordant music. Maybe they were off-kilter or were down-tuned heavy stuff. Basically, I figured they were a hardcore band. Not one to dive in without doing some research, I found their band camp page and- yep!- here we had some Pettibon-esque artwork, featuring a cop and a few people who didn't look quite...right. I bet ya anything this is gonna be like Black Flag when they started being weird and heavy and kind of metallic!

And then I hit "play". What the-? Ooooooh! This isn't "Hundred Heads" like "I'm gonna kill a hundred people and slog their heads around on a giant necklace as trophies of all the assholes I put out of their misery (And how would you do that anyway? Shrink the heads first? I mean, even then, that would be one heavy necklace. Who the hell could carry that? Or even fit it around their necks? No, that's totally ridiculous! Why am I still typing this?)", this is "hundred heads" like "This sounds like music that one hundred heads had input in or influence on". What I mean by that last part is that these guys are very likely a band that is collaborative and makes use of their various members' talents. They're immersive indie with cool horn swells and a sleepy, laconic vibe that gets big and grand when it feels right. 

I count 25. Where's the other 75?!

Who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

We're Hundred Heads from Chicago, IL and we play groove jams ftl

Is your appearance at Dreyfest part of your first tour, or have you been out before?

It's definitely part of our first tour

I've read that there are essentially two ways to describe a band's sound; that you can compare them to other bands or that you can strictly be descriptive about the sounds they produce. To someone who hasn't heard you, how would you describe your band using the first method, and then the second method?

Well we're pretty influenced by Grizzly Bear, Broken Social Scene, Mac Demarco and Stereolab. The sounds we produce are straight grooveth though

You're from Chicago, right? How would you describe the scene you're a part of there?

The Chicago scene has a lot of really cool garagey punk bands and a lot of groovy indie bands. Also the hip hop scene in Chicago is awesome, like 90% of chicago rap is dope.

We spotted a youtube video that someone threw together for a song of yours. Was that a buddy/how did that come about?

That was actually made by one of our horn player Keaton's roomates. Funny thing is that we didn't know he had made it until my (dustin's) sister posted it on her facebook one day haha

Is less really more?

No man, more is more

Preferred facial/head accessory:

One of those beer can helmets with bongs on the side instead of beer cans

Favorite childhood animated series?

Will: Ren & Stimpy

Joe: Courage the Cowardly Dog

Dustin: Hey Arnold

Keaton: Mickey Mouse

Nate: Captain Planet

You guys are coming through on your tour with Spooky Action Space Captain (also on the Dreyfest bill). What's your favorite song of theirs? 

Alegna, Not My House, Mucus Murder, and every other Spooky song past or present

What other towns/activities are you excited about on the tour?

Camping in beautious national parks and surfing in california and doing other glorious and illegal activities with our Spooky Spooky buddies

We'll be referring people to your bandcamp page...is there anything else you'd like to plug?

Can we plug Richard Dreyfuss?

CAN you?! For Christsakes- please do!

That's all for this time, folks- please check out Hundred Heads' band camp (it's not scary kill-your-family music!): http://hundredheads.bandcamp.com

See You At Dreyfest!