Q&A with the Pharos

Local bands The Pharos and The Natives have each worked to produce and promote their latest works just in time for summer vacation. The Pharos released their 5-track EP “Say What You Will” on April 26 with Farm Fresh Studios while The Natives will release their debut full-length album at midnight Thursday. The album, titled “My Song Will Set Me Free”, was produced by Virginia-based label New Cut Records. Both bands said they were eager to get their work out to listeners and encourage interested students to check them out at pharosrock.com and thenativesband.com.

The Indiana Daily student sat down with The Pharos band members Nick Huster, Tom Weikert and Adam Littman. Other band member James Reed was not present.

IDS Where did you find inspiration for the EP?

LITTMAN Inspiration for EP, let’s see. I guess I can’t answer that because I only helped write “Ooh Love” and “Sweetheart.” That’s a weird question because we didn’t sit down and start with the idea of an EP and then write songs. We wrote songs and then decided, let’s release these as an EP. Inspiration from the songs I wrote, mainly “Sweetheart,” came from sitting down and trying out some stuff at the piano.

HUSTER We got this out to show off some of the songs we had been writing as a band. I am inspired by the other guys in the band to write and play to the best of my ability, and I think this EP shows it. The album art was all James’ idea.

WEIKERT From nature. Trees mostly. Lots of trees. I like looking up at big ones. It’s awesome. If I am surrounded by big trees, that’s the greatest moment of my life. I’ve been dying to go to Redwood for my whole life. But I’d probably die if I got there because my life would be complete.

IDS What roles did each member play in creating the EP?

LITTMAN I did everything for every song. But they’re taking credit for it. So, yeah, it was all me. 

WEIKERT I wrote all my bass lines, and we all talked through the songs together. 

HUSTER Wrote some melodies, some lyrics.

IDS What didn’t make the cut? Why?

LITTMAN Some other songs that we didn’t think were as good. My Hanukkah song didn’t make the cut, cause everyone thought it was a rip-off of Adam Sandler.

WEIKERT The songs that didn’t fit. Nick’s terrible white rapping did not make the cut. 

HUSTER The rap that I wrote for “Baghdad” didn’t make the cut. That, along with some backup vocals in that song that were in a really deep voice, but then it just sounded funny ’cause none of us have a really deep voice.

IDS What’s the next move for your band?

LITTMAN This summer is huge for us because we’ll be practicing a lot and start playing more shows. It’s going to give us a chance to really come back hard next semester.

WEIKERT Have a number-one single on the pop charts. 

HUSTER We’re going to film and release a music video for “Wolf” over the summer. We’re also battling it up in a battle of the bands at the Bluebird. We’ll be working on our live show a lot this summer, too.

IDS What’s the most interesting reaction you’ve had to your EP?

LITTMAN “Wow, you’re better than Jesus. Wait. No, that’s The Beatles. Nope, you’re as good or better than The Beatles.”

WEIKERT “I don’t like it.” Just kidding, I don’t think anyone has said that. I like hearing about people listening to it a lot, I think it’s kind of funny.
HUSTER I like hearing about people enjoying it. This one girl told me we remind her of Maroon 5. Still don’t know what she was listening to.

IDS What message do you try to convey in your lyrics?

LITTMAN It depends on the song — um, it’s different based on the song, that could be my answer, but I try to get inside the narrator, separate myself, but at the same time it’s personal. In “Sweetheart,” I’m not the narrator but it’s me singing. But it’s more of a story, like the Decemberists. They have stories and characters, but it’s a little separated from the singer himself. I try to create something like that.

WEIKERT I didn’t really write any lyrics for this one. But usually I try to convey the deep depression I live with constantly. And my erectile dysfunction.

HUSTER I like to write about whatever story is in my mind. Sometimes it’s personal or sometimes something I’ve heard about recently. It varies a lot.

***

The IDS also spoke with band members from the Natives, including Coleman Lowndes and Daniel Topp. Other band members Kyle Houpt, Aaron Frazer and Justin Hubler were not present.

IDS How has your style progressed since your past release for the Brio Pop Society concept album?

TOPP It’s a little more country now, a little more twangy. Especially now that we got
Kyle Houpty playing with us.

LOWNDES Yeah, now that Kyle Houpt has joined the band, it’s definitely got more of a country feel.

IDS Where did you find inspiration for the album?

LOWNDES I think we all draw from different influences as songwriters. I personally draw from a lot of country music I heard coming up from my dad, especially the Flying Burrito Brothers, and as far as songwriting, the Mountain Goats and The Beatles.

TOPP I tend to be more inspired by folk singers, just, like, really kind of basic guitar — keeping it simple, tell-it-like-it-is kind of stuff.

IDS What’s a common tradition between members before performing a show?
LOWNDES We have a group hug.
TOPP I’ve never participated in that group hug, thanks.
LOWNDES Well, I’ve hugged. No, I don’t think we really have any traditions.
TOPP Game faces.

IDS Have you released a sneak-peak into the album?

TOPP They’re not finished yet, but these are songs we have played live before.

LOWNDES But one song has been heard. We made a live video in the living room of the Hideaway of the song “Susanna Come to Bed” and it’s the only lo-fi, guerilla kind of recording on the album.

IDS What’s the next move for your band?

LOWNDES We’re all going home for the summer. For the fall, I guess we’re going to come back and try to write a lot over the summer — that’s what we’ve talked about. We really want to finish this release now and put it out now so we can evolve a lot more and then put out another release that’s really separate and even further along than this one.

TOPP Word. What he said.