The Untitled Interview #168 – SXSW Edition: Starring Ian Taylor (The Sunshine Factory)

One of the first harbingers of Spring is not, in fact, the adorable, fluffy robins hopping along looking for worms or the bold yellow bursts of daffodils blooming. Sure, the longer days and Daylight Savings Time act as pretty good indicators. But they're not what I had in mind. Nay, friends, one of the first signs of the new season is SXSW, the week of music and mayhem down in Austin. I wrangled some of the bands I'd want to see, if I was going, to get their take on this year's installment of South by Southwest.

When it comes to shoegaze, Alabama was never really the first place I thought about. After hearing The Sunshine Factory, however, yours truly is having to reconsider. If there had been a band this good, this loud, and this drenched in sonic goodness, I would have driven down and back to Mobile in a heartbeat when I was in school. Better late than never though, I suppose. And I sure do hope to see The Sunshine Factory live one of these days, because I get the idea they'd be mighty fine. They've got a real lushness to their sound, like honey coating a sonic sledgehammer. Read on for guitar/vocal type Ian Taylor's musings on the joy of festivals, and the joy of arriving to festivals in one piece.

Fuzzy Logic: How are you getting to SXSW: plane, train, or automobile?
Ian Taylor: We are travelling by vannie.

FL: Inevitably, you will forget to pack:
IT: I always forget razors. And get yelled at for it.

FL: How many showcases/parties will you be playing?
IT: We're playing 2.

FL: Band you're most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
IT: Every damn one on the STPP showcase. Even if we weren't playing, that's the one I'd want to see.

FL: What's the first thing you plan on doing upon arrival in Austin?
IT: Thank god that our vannie didn't die.

FL: What was the first festival you ever attended, either as a musician or member of the general public?
IT: Warped tour 2003.

FL: Favorite thing about festivals?
IT: The overload.