Basements, Unwound, and The Silver Surfer: August is Loud interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0EUpgkAYg

I got a chance to sit down over call with Bellingham-based group "August is Loud" they're a mix of shoegaze, grunge, and space-rock all in one package. Their first album is coming out soon and I took the opportunity to interview them. We talked about everything from their influences, the scene in Washington, and how they got their name from a surprising place. Below is an abridged version of our conversation but the full video is a great watch if you wanna check it out!

WAX: Do you guys think the scene is better now than it was in, like, the '90s? And how has the current climate helped you guys emerge?

August Is Loud: There’s definitely a strong scene. I don’t think it’s quite as [huge] as it was in the '90s, but that’s actually helping us. Since there’s less, it’s helping us emerge a little more. I mean, they had bands like Modest Mouse up here growing, but back then, there were bands everywhere—every bar. The local music here is just insane, and I feel like not enough people tap into it, especially in Seattle. I’m from Seattle, and I never saw as much attention on the local scene there. I’m from Olympia originally, where there’s a lot of punk and hardcore, so I’m glad to see people showing out here. Even though there’s so much going on, it’s just so important.

WAX: Do you guys have any local bands that you’re into right now?

August Is Loud: I love Sunbather Die; they’re from Seattle. Stoneard—those guys are good. Paperclip, Thermal Vision, Grover... Yeah, we love Grover. And Three-Headed Dog. We’ve played with them twice and plan to play with them more. They’re great. The hardcore scene is pretty good here, too—a little stronger than Seattle.

WAX: You guys are from Bellingham, right? I know Dollar Bird is from there, too.

August Is Loud: We’ve played with them a couple of times. That was actually our first show—a Battle of the Bands with them. And of course, we lost because they already had stuff on Spotify! It was a setup, but it was a good starting point. Shout out Riley, that dude’s a beast.

WAX: If you had to pick three albums that defined your sound, what would they be?

August Is Loud: Fantastic Planet by Failure, Fake Train by Unwound, and Tagabow... Destiny XL. Maybe those are more like aspirations, you know?

WAX: In what ways does that influence show up in the music?

August Is Loud: I’d say by how we utilize feedback. We’ve been getting a lot better at filling up the space with that. And for the drums, it’s a mixture of genres. These guys play more shoegaze stuff, but I played metal before I joined them. It mixes in a nice way. A lot of noisy, feedbacky sounds.

WAX: I’ve been dying to ask—where does the name August Is Loud come from?

August Is Loud: It’s just our friend August! We met him last fall at school and just thought he was a loud talker. But the first time we met him, he literally collapsed on a tennis court because he hit a [vape] cart too hard. It was a loud moment. There were 40 people surrounding his body; it was wild. We carried him up the stairs and were like, "Okay, I guess that’s the band name." We weren't even a band yet; we didn't even know we all played music. We just thought it would be funny to have a friend as a mascot who isn't even in the band.

WAX: If you could open for any band, who would it be?

August Is Loud: Probably those three we mentioned. Opening for Failure would be so awesome. Hum is a big influence for us, too.

WAX: You have a single out called "Dusk." How did the recording for that come about?

August Is Loud: [He] basically structured the song and wrote the main melodies, then we all wrote around it. It’s a combination of everyone’s style. Our friend recorded it at the studio at Western [Washington University]. It was a super nice studio—our first real recording experience. We did it all at the same time. One take. It took eight hours to get it exact because it’s a seven or eight-minute song.

WAX: Is there a big difference between that single and the upcoming album?

August Is Loud: Definitely. We did the album in our basement with the same guy who recorded us in the studio. It was a two or three-week process. It was a lot more chill. We were able to find our sound within the boundaries of our own basement. Our basement looks like where you should be playing Skate 3. It’s really shitty, and I’m honestly surprised the album turned out well!

WAX: Is physical media an avenue you want to explore with the record?

August Is Loud: Definitely. CDs and tapes first. To be honest, I didn't even want to put anything on Spotify. They convinced me to put the single up, but I hope to put the music somewhere else because... well, screw Spotify. There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. Bandcamp is the place right now for underground artists. Bandcamp is the shit.

WAX: Your Instagram bio has some unique genre names. Are you trying to separate yourselves from the mainstream?

August Is Loud: Kind of. We’re just combining things we like. It started as a bit of a joke, but inventing a genre is cool. We’re trying to do something unique.

WAX: It reminds me of Black Ends from Washington—they call their sound "Gunk Pop." Is there a "dream" experience you guys want to have in the music sphere?

August Is Loud: I would love to play a KEXP session. And Audio Tree would be amazing. Getting a Nardwuar interview... I’m scared, though. I’d have to be careful. He’d probably gift us a Failure CD because he’d know I can’t find one anywhere. Or the "Silver Surfer" cart from when August fell!

WAX: How do you feel the band has evolved since you started?

August Is Loud: We’ve become more on the same page. We’re developing a collective sound instead of just bringing our individual tastes. When we watch videos of our first shows, it doesn't even seem like the same band. Our tastes have changed and what we think is cool has changed. I want to keep that up—keep changing. Every song on the new album is different.

WAX: Any last words for the fans?

August Is Loud: Anyone in Western Washington, come to Bellingham and see a show. We have a festival coming up June 27th in Oak Harbor. It’s free. Pull up!