With the likes of UK’s NME championing their existence, Howler have had a relatively quick ascension to notoriety. Started out of boredom, the Minneapolis band garnered favourable reviews for their comically titled debut, America Give Up. Released in January, with plenty of attention guaranteed after NME placed them at #3 in their best new bands of 2011. In addition to this, the music publication also placed frontman Jordan Gatesmith at #44 on their ‘Cool List’.
Just how cool is Gatesmith, though? With a frank and sometimes sarcastic tone, the 19-year-old speaks down the line from his home while the band are on a brief break from their hectic touring schedule. When asked whether being a touring rock musician lived up to his expectations, the frontman nonchalantly and hilariously responds, “it’s kind of as stupid as you think it would be, yes, we’re all retards.” Although he concedes that life has been “good fun”on the road. “We fight and kid with each other and we play shit shows,” answers Gatesmith.
Hang on, “you play shit shows?”
“No, actually we play pretty good shows,” laughs the frontman, “which is fun.”
His attitude towards touring might have first come across as uncommitted, but the musician was quick to point out how being pushed onto the international stage has changed Howler’s mindset towards their live shows. “When it first started we’d just write songs and practice. We’d get up on stage and ramshackle, they were shitty shows, no one would give a fuck really,” he responds. “Since then we’ve been trying to play good shows, play fun shows. So I think that’s switched, we’re still writing, but we’re working on being a better live band.”
It appears the hard work is already paying off for the band, whilst stating that he had to take the live performances more seriously, the quartet have already had plenty of memorable experiences.”I think we had 700 people at one show,” responds Gatesmith cheerfully, before revealing that, “it was packed and as soon as the doors opened there were kids lining up right away.” He confesses that having lots of people dancing was a great response to have. “It keeps us going and I think it keeps us wanting to do what we’re doing now,” he remarks.
With an album title like, America Give Up, you could be sure that it might raise a few eyebrows in their homeland, but the frontman is thankful that most people got the joke. Speaking of their debut album Gatesmith explains that it was simply all about just five guys wanting to be in a band, “I think the album shows that,” he offers. “There are some witty and sarcastic songs. They’re kinda catchy and kind of dirty… we’re just a garage rock band from Minneapolis.”
His opinion on the many comparisons the young band have garnered is less conservative though. First compared with The Strokes and then after touring in support of The Vaccines, critics started seeing a resemblance between the two. “Comparisons are boring,” says Gatesmith unequivocally. “They are so boring, not even just with myself but I think anytime in journalism,” explained the frontman, before conceding that they were inevitable; “I think we’re in an age where there are so many rock bands, so much music, that when a band just starts out, you have to compare it with something else so people get the idea.”
Despite this the outfit have been touted as one of the buzz bands of 2012. The success that came to Gatesmith and co. was unprecedented, “It’s real nice, it was completely unexpected,” he remarks. Although the lead singer thinks that their current position feels “weird”: “We never thought that this was going to happen with us, I think more than anything we feel uncomfortable… we’re still getting used to it,” he acknowledges, but the group are happy to be looked upon as a band that people should look out for.
The four-piece are looking forward to heading back into the studio, although at this stage, nothing is set in concrete. “An EP could be something that we could do, but we have no idea how its going to pan out at this point in time,” revealed Gatesmith. He adds that they’re not even entirely sure what their plans are for the future and that “it just depends on how the songs crank out”. One thing is for certain though, is that the band plan to take a break and keep writing, “hopefully we’ll be recording soon,” is all the frontman can offer.
But Gatesmith already has some idea on how future Howler might sound. “The songs are definitely not going to sound as snotty, we’re definitely going to tone that down a little bit.” The musician also revealed that the songs weren’t going to be as thrashy, but lyrically “some things might still be sarcastic. I think overall the feeling of the band is holistically going to be a bit less snarling.”
Furthermore, the band say they want their new material to have more of a “dance vibe”. How so? “I think we want it to be less punk and less thrash,” responded Gatesmith. Although he conceded that; “obviously there would still be punk elements to it… we’re definitely inspired by 60s R’n’B, soul and a lot of Motown things as well.”
The bands appearance at Byron Bay’s Splendour in the Grass will mark their first ever visit to Australian shores in July. Gatesmith remarked on his excitement; “I never thought I’d make it to Australia”.What they’re not excited for though, he adds, “is the 48 hour plane ride.”
America Give Up is out now through Rough Trade and Dew Process. Howler play Splendour In The Grass at the end of July, and are teaming up with Friends and Zulu Winter for two very special ‘mini-Splendour’ shows in Sydney and Melbourne in late July. Full details and dates here.
