Interview: The Soundscapes

Happy 2010! Kicking off the New Year, I interviewed one of my dear friends and most respected fellow musicians, Rodrigo from indie band The Soundscapes.

How did The Soundscapes come about?
New York City, 2006, as a natural progression of us brothers playing music together.

Where did you get your name?
It was there for a while, part of the idea rolled from names like The Telescopes.

Tell us something interesting about your hometown of Sao Paulo:
A bit hectic, a bit modernist, better to get around by helicopter.

What are your three favourite venues to play?
So far...Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall of Williamsburg and the sidewalks of Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.

What was your best gig so far? why?
We've been fortunate. The right vibe has been in many of them.

And the worst gig so far? why?
The worst situation was at a club in Midtown Manhattan, can't recall the name, the place had caught on fire just two days before the show, the venue was in total mess.

You guys started the band in New York, but now relocated to your native Brasil. What are some of your fondest memories of the band while in New York?
All the friends, all the shows played and seen, hangouts, the seasons and the walks and rides around the city.


Do you think Sao Paulo audiences are different than of those back in New York?
There might be a difference in approach but they are both passionate about the artists they like.

The titles of your songs, such as "You Are Love" and "We're All Made Of (Star Stuff)" are fantastic. Who comes up with those? What are the inspirations behind them?
Thank you, they all come to us in dreams, we are just told them... there's a link between all of them I guess.


Aufi! Fikri! recently remixed "Star Stuff". How did that collaboration come about?
That was quite a gift, we got to know Marc a while ago and always kept in touch, we truly relate to each other's work and he just went ahead and did it, a very colorful remix, to us it sounds fantastic, we both want to collaborate much more in the future, we can see the band exploring such territories.

When you guys are hanging out, what music are you probably listening to?
Broken Social Scene is a good one for hanging out.

What was the first album you ever bought?
Fascination for vinyls came early in our lives, we collected stories, children's music and pop. Still as kids, The Cure was the catalyst to all the sounds, past and present, we ended up endearing.

Any weird phobias and/or band superstitions?
No phobias, no superstitions, it's all about the good vibes.

Describe your fanbase in 3 words:
In two words... freestyle family.

If you could be any other person for a day, who would you be?
I would be my brother [Raphael, also in The Soundscapes].

What's better - downloading, still buying CDs, or collecting vinyl?
They are all rewarding.

Best band you've seen live?
My Bloody Valentine.

Is there anything (previously unknown) about your band that you'd like to share with the world?
We are not twins.

How will you be spending Christmas this year?
In Summertime.

Do you have any plans for 2010?
Just a vague idea, but it's a good one.

Thanks, Rodrigo! x

Download:
The Soundscapes - Star Stuff (Aufi! Fikri! Remix).mp3


The Soundscapes' myspace