The Untitled Interview #174 – SXSW Edition: Starring Spectrals

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 I hear the word spectral, I think of ghosts. As it happens, there's something almost ghostly about the music of Louis Jones, otherwise known as Spectrals. Shades from the 50s and 60s float in and out of Spectrals songs, like faded photographs of soc hops and bonfires and princess telephones. Altogether appealing, Jones has his finger on the pulse of something very much alive, rooted in years past as it is. Nearly done with his SXSW visit, Jones had the following to say about festivals.

Fuzzy Logic: How are you getting to SXSW: plane, train, or automobile?
Louis Jones: Plane, then Automobile.

FL: Inevitably, you will forget to pack:
LJ: Sunglasses.

FL: How many showcases/parties will you be playing?
LJ: 7.

FL: Band you're most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
LJ: The Men, I'm going to follow them around.

FL: What's the first thing you plan on doing upon arrival in Austin?
LJ: Eat something hot.

FL: What was the first festival you ever attended, either as a musician or member of the general public?
LJ: Leeds Festival.

FL: Favorite thing about festivals?
LJ: Messing about.