Sounds: Russian Circles

SURFING Magazine: How did you get this lineup together? DAVE TRUNCRANTZ: Mike (guitar) and I played in a punk band when we were younger in St. Louis. Then Mike moved to Chicago for school and I moved up here to be closer to my family. We recently parted ways with our bass player and picked up Brian, who’s actually still currently in the band, These Arms are Snakes, but he agreed to play on our record.

When you got together, how did you decide what you would sound like? We never really decided. We actually thought we would have a singer. We made some songs and kind of realized a singer would muddy up most of the stuff we were doing, so we didn’t bring a singer to the table. It’s not out of the question to have one in the future, though.

Does not having a vocalist change how you write a song? It definitely doesn’t make it easier. We don’t focus on framing a chorus or things like that. We just focus on making the music interesting. When we go in, we don’t set out to make it insane or hard, we just want it to be memorable. Whether that’s easy or technical it doesn’t matter; we can do both.

What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about being incessantly on the road? Obviously it’s nice to see all the new cities and countries, but it does get long and repetitive. And people think when you’re on tour you’re getting wasted and f--king having a blast, but there’s actually a lot of driving and downtime. It’s not always a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. There’s lots of sweating in the van, like I am right now.

How would you describe your live show? We’re definitely loud. I’ve heard it’s more intense in person than on record and we’re happy with that. I would rather be a great live band than a good studio band that is awful live.

What do you hope people get out of your music? I think we just hope it makes whatever you’re doing better. Like, whether it’s surfing or skating, or if you’re having a tough time, or even a good time. Hopefully it just really sets the mood for what you’re doing. There are no vocals so you can incorporate your own thoughts and feelings into it. It makes it more about what you want it to be. In a way, it’s soothing like that. It’s always nice to have something that makes you zone out.

Songs average eight minutes long but you’ll be begging for more. They’re dramatic, cold, drum-driven songs with more moods than the sea and will have you psyched to get up at the crack of dawn. You may skip sleep altogether.
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Reader Comments 

Posted Mon Aug25, 2008, 4:57 PM — By charles webster baer

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