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“Without music I’d go crazy”, confesses Dead Confederate’s bass player and co-songwriter, Brantley Senn before their J Mascis support slot. Singer/guitarist Hardy Morris jumps in, “Music’s a cool place right now. Artists and bands are coming up with the coolest stuff for a long time. It’s an exciting time for rock n’ roll.” HV finds out more about the Athens, Georgia youngsters…
Your songs seem to be heavily influenced by the early 90s grunge sound- Mudhoney and Nirvana, as well as more progressive rock like Pink Floyd. What do you see as your main influences?
Hardy: Pink Floyd was a big influence, especially for the larger, more spacey stuff… [but] grunge was how I got into rock… it was the first music that I listened to that my parents didn’t like.
What are the highs and lows of being in a band?
Hardy: Some of the support slots, like Dinosaur Jr… it’s like a stamp of approval. You never think this stuff will happen to you when you’re a kid. [The lows are] travel, no sleep…Last time we were over here we missed our flight home. We haven’t flipped our van or anything yet.
Brantley: All in all it evens out. It beats sitting in a cubicle, which is what I used to do.
How long have you been playing together?
Hardy: We all grew up in the same home town in Georgia. We were in different bands in high school but there wasn’t much of a scene… we gravitated towards one another.
What can we expect from your next release?
Hardy: We’re gonna be recording in February… as soon as we get home our producer is coming to town and we’re gonna sit down with our demos and talk about songs.
Brantley: All the new ones are shorter… 3-4 minutes as opposed to 5 or 6… more fun… when it’s your second album you have a lot more freedom… to write more upbeat stuff… I’m sure the new album will gain some fans and lose some.
Can you remember the best show you’ve ever played?
Brantley: When we opened for R.E.M. at SXSW. It was a huge crowd and there were industry people there… it was nerve wracking, but we just went out there and did our show and even went as far as destroying the drum kit.
Do you have an opinion on downloading?
Hardy: I think downloading makes it easier for a young band… I don’t have a problem with illegal downloading… times have changed and it’s not 1994.
Brantley: I illegally download. If I like it, I’ll buy it on vinyl. You wouldn’t buy a painting without looking at it.
What do you love about music?
Hardy: Uhrm, I don’t even know. For me, it’s just always been there. It’s what I know and what I’ve done… it wasn’t a conscious decision to surround myself with it… it’s the one thing I’ve always felt I was good at… I guess it gives me some kind of fulfilment.
Brantley: My favourite part is the writing part. When there are hard times it’s kinda a release. You take something that’s shitty and make something of it that’s an accomplishment. Without this, I’d go crazy.
Expect Dead Confederate back on our shores in May, and a new record later in the year. Their debut, Wrecking Ball, is out now.
Words by: Alex Lynham
Links:
Dead Confederate - MP3
Dead Confederate - Myspace
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