 Due August 17th, Curse of Lono's sophomore full-length, As I Fell, builds on their deeply cinematic blend of harmony-laden Americana and driving, gothic alt-rock. It’s a sound that owes as much to The Doors and The Velvet Underground as it does to more modern practitioners such as The War On Drugs and Wilco. The album's first single, "Valentine," is a tale of murderous jealousy replete with hand claps, crunchy guitars, and an ominous undercurrent. Frontman Felix Bechtolsheimer graciously answered his Essential 8 and spoke about how his songwriting has evolved, drinking at gigs, balancing family and touring, and more. When/where do you do your best writing? When I was younger I used to write my best material either while traveling alone on a train or plane or sitting at home in my underpants with a hangover. I used to find that things flowed better when I was either on the move or too cloudy to over analyse things. Nowadays I do most of my writing in our little studio, surrounded by my guitars. The new material is a bit more ambitious so I like to stay focused. I suppose my writing has matured a bit. I know my quality control has certainly tightened up a lot since the early Hey Negrita days. Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination? I used to write exclusively about personal experiences but that’s changed on the new album. I’m a happily married man with two beautiful kids. The heroin and crack days ended eighteen years ago. I can still draw on that darkness when I need to but I’m more interested in exploring new themes. That said, I never write pure fiction. There are songs on this album based on stories my grandfather told me about life as a half-Jew in Nazi Germany and about a horrific train crash he survived back in 1954. ‘Valentine’, the first single off the new album, was the reaction to a dream I had about my wife having an affair. The affair never happened but the murderous jealousy captured in the song is very real. Do you have any touring tips? When I was in Hey Negrita, every tour felt like an extended stag party. These days I like to pace myself a bit more. I still like a drink when I come off stage but I have a better idea of when to stop. It’s hard to give advice as everyone has to find their own rhythm but I would say this: be patient and generous with your band mates and crew. It can get a bit claustrophobic when you’re in a van for eight hours a day with the same people and I have seen the best of friends fall out with each other. One of the reasons we don’t have these problems in Curse Of Lono is that everyone does their best to give each other space. Any egos should be reserved for the stage. What’s the most frustrating thing about being on the road?
I struggle being away from my wife and kids. My daughter is two years old and it’s hard on her when I’m gone. But I try to balance it out by taking time off in between. I know some people with more regular jobs and they see their kids less than I see mine. I guess it’s a balancing act. Which song of yours gets the best crowd response? It depends where we are but ‘Valentine’ and ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ are definitely always up there. I think it’s the primal drums and the harmonies that get people moving. Is there a recent release you cannot stop listening to? Yes. There’s a band from Nashville called ‘Cordovas’. Their debut album, which came out last year, is like a cross between Little Feat, The Allman Brothers and The Band. We’re really excited to head out on a UK tour with them at the end of June. Is drinking at gigs a positive or a negative? I think it’s a positive. What’s better than having a drink while listening to some great live music. That said, on this current tour I’m only drinking once I come off stage. We’re playing a lot of new material so I like to stay sharp. But I have no problem with the audience getting as drunk as they like. It’s their night out. We’re just the guys providing the soundtrack. Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended? That’s a really tough one. I saw Hayes Carll in New Orleans the night before I proposed to my wife. That was pretty special. Seeing Guy Clark back in 2008 was pretty cool too. I got to interview him for a documentary backstage and he let me play his guitar. That was a very special gig. Website/Twitter/Facebook/Insta
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