4 Questions With: Spanish Prisoners

Last month we discovered Spanish Prisoners. Today we learn more about the band via a brief yet insightful Q&A with frontman, Leo Maymind.

1. This past weekend you performed at NYC's Highline Ballroom with Daniel Johnston, someone you've been a fan of for quite some time. How did the gig go?

The gig went really well, in my opinion. It was truly exciting to be able to share a stage (both literally and figuratively) with someone like Daniel Johnston. The venue and crowd were both great as well. Definitely one of the best (if not the best) show we've been able to play. It was also really insightful to just sit backstage and chat with him - he's really a unique guy.

2. Who else would be on your shortlist of artists to collaborate with?

I'd love to be able to collaborate with The Band (circa '67) or Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (circa '67 as well). Since both of those are unrealistic, I'd say in the present day I'd love to play with Wilco, Yo La Tengo, Bright Eyes & Will Oldham. There are countless bands today that we'd be honored to share stages with. A Neutral Milk Hotel reunion?

3. How would you describe your sound to novices of Spanish Prisoners? I know your influences range from Beck to Leonard Cohen. I personally hear a little Brian Eno and Van Morrison in there as well.

Yeah, I have a wide range of influences, and the other fellows in the band listen to all sorts of music as well. For all intensive purposes, I usually describe it as eclectic noisy chamber pop. There's a lot of textures and instruments, bringing out different sorts of moods in each song. It's also recorded in such a way that it's not slicked up at all. I like recordings to have faults and smudges in them.

4. As someone who grew up in Columbus, Ohio and currently resides in Brooklyn, can you tell us one pro and con about each geographical location?

A pro about Columbus would definitely be cheap rent & cheap living. Can't beat that. I would say one bad thing about it is that many bands from there largely get ignored and don't tour that much. This is changing a lot now, especially as Times New Viking is getting so much press and bringing attention to the area. I remember seeing them in a living room a few years ago with twenty college kids. A pro about Brooklyn is just the wide variety of things to do, see, hear, eat, drink. It's a big playground. Con: traffic and parking. I've gotten way too many tickets since moving here!

Learn more about Spanish Prisoners here.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Bruchman.

MP3: Spanish Prisoners - Some Among Them Are Killers