Lands & Peoples are downright scary.
No, they're not going to scare away children during Halloween, but in listening to the debut release by this trio -- consisting of multi-instrumentalists Caleb Moore, Amanda Willis, and Beau Cole -- it is damn-near frightening how fully formed the band sounds on just their first EP. Though it's easy to spot the group's influences, it proves rather difficult to pin down the Lands & Peoples "sound". Emotional without being self-indulgent, this is lo-fi indie rock with a distinct modern twist, beautifully textured but never once coming across as overlabored (check out their MySpace to hear what makes them so unique). With their eponymous EP just out and a full-length album due shortly, there is no better time than to hit up the band with one of Globecat's trademark Aleatories (and if that isn't enough, Lands & Peoples have the distinction of being our 25th). Without further ado, Lands & Peoples ...
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1. Favorite word?
January.
2. Favorite board game?
Monopoly (Amanda=Car, Beau=Boot, Caleb=Thimble)
3. Favorite key to write in?
Probably A minor, or G.
4. Favorite person to have worked with?
The Secret Mountains, we just finished the first leg of our tour with them ... sooooooo much fun!
5. Favorite piece of equipment?
Fender Prosonic coupled with an Electro-Harmonix Reverb Pedal, woohoo!
6. Favorite visual artist?/Favorite work of visual art?
Tie between Gustav Klimt and Nicholas Gurewitch (of PBF comics).
18. Favorite pick-up line?
"Is your father a lumberjack? No? Oh ... OK ... um ... well ... 'wood' you go out with me?"
28. What instrument would you most like to learn to play?
Upright Bass, we all agree.
31. Other than musician, what career would you most enjoy?
Caleb: Record company scout or producer.
Amanda: Chef.
Beau: Actor, wait is that stupid, uh, Chef, that was a good answer.
32. Best thing you learned this week/month?
Tours are fun and hard and bathing in a lake, while fun, isn't ACTUALLY that clean. Also iPhones are REAL helpful.
42. What's an image that haunts you to this day?
That scene in The Shining where the hot woman turns into the old lady, OH MY GOD that scene is creepy.
45. What's the best lie you've ever told?
We've never been good at lying.
56. Have you ever considered writing or producing for other artists?
Yes. Baltimore's a place that allows all types of artists to collaborate in the craziest of ways ... and there are so many artists, not just musicians, that we LOVE in Baltimore, so I think if the opportunity ever came up, we [would] jump on it.
58. Least rock star thing you've ever done?
Watching Twilight with Caleb's mom.
72. A few years ago, Beck gave an interview for SPIN in which he lamented the glut of reality TV shows and blogs about musicians, wanting to know less details about their life because he felt they were more mysterious that way (he liked to envision Devo as living in a crazed art-deco pyramid when he was young, instead of just some guys in a tour bus). Do you feel that there's a lack of mystique out there for musicians in today's YouTube age? Do you feel your band carries any mystique?
These days, it is possible to be in complete, honest, and direct communication with people who listen to your music and pay attention to that sort of thing. But, at the same time, you don't have to, you don't have to answer every interview, you don't have to have a blog, or be on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, etc. I think that a band can use those things as tools to communicate whatever, even outright lie if they want, manifest their own "mystique." But I don't think anyone can deny that "the Internet" with all it's sites and blogs and viral explosions has given SO many artists exposure that they otherwise would never have gotten, that's the important thing ... and it's a good thing, for the most part.
74. Better to burn out or to fade away?
Burn Out.
76. Dream collaboration?
Working with Beach House, co-produced by Chris Taylor and Jon Brion.
77. What was the hardest part about recording your current release?
Well, we recorded and mixed everything by ourselves in our homes. Knowing you're not a professional yet wanting it to be perfect ... letting stuff go was really hard.
89. You just died. I'm sorry. Fortunately, your will states that you want very specific music to be played at your funeral. What did you choose?
1) Will Smith--Gettin' Jiggy With It
2) Men Without Hats--Safety Dance
3) Weird Al--Fat
4) Biggy--Big Poppa
90. Sexiest thing about you?
Amanda: "My big heart."
Beau & Caleb about Amanda: "Her legs."
Caleb: "My large nostrils."
Beau: "My unibrow."
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Visit Lands & People's official website here.
