Interview: Weekend

If they’re not already, hotly tipped noise-punk band Weekend are set to be blaring out of your speakers in an imminent fashion. Poised to release their highly anticipated debut Slumberland this November, I spoke with lead singer Shaun Durkan to hear his stance on computer-generated music, the positive influences of a car crash and a surprising appreciation of Mariah Carey.

For a band that only formed about a year ago, you’re impressively making waves rather quickly. What did you aim to accomplish with the band when you first started?

I think that our intentions were pretty serious from the beginning. We decided if we wanted to make music and start a band that we were really going to put everything into it. Not in the “can’t wait to get a Benz” sort of commercial success way, but in the sense that we were really going to put all of our energy and passion into making music that we felt emotionally invested in. Whether or not we got signed or whatever was beside the point.

How did your name come about? I must say it’s proven hard to research you on the internet without tens of day-related results getting in the way!

Lots of market research and analysis. We did a few focus groups at the local farmers market.

There are a number of other post-punk noise groups about at the minute. What do you feel makes you different from the other acts out there following in the same vein as you?

It’s hard to answer this question without sounding like I’m a salesman. As far as what sets us apart from other noisy post-punk bands, I think the music speaks for itself.

Some might characterise your sound as being simply noise rather than atypical music. What would you say to them?

I’d probably say they haven’t listened to much noise music.

There are elements of the psychedelic about your music. Is this a genre that has specifically influenced you? And who are your other influences both from the past and present?

There are obvious touchstones as far as musical influences go. In a broader sense, everything that you experience whether it be art, romance, being in a horrific car crash… they all effect you in one way or another and I think those are much more interesting influences to talk about. The music is a culmination of experiences, a document. And sure, some of those experiences are listening to records. Maybe people should step away from the computer and get in more car wrecks.

You’ve been quoted as saying you’d like to feel your music is a ‘balance (of) the abrasive qualities of punk and noise with something more introspective and vulnerable.’ Are there specific themes that link into these qualities that you attempt to portray? If so what are they and why are they important to you?

All of our music deals with turmoil. Thematically and sonically. Noise and melody, love and death. I guess it’s about extremes. We’re not a band that writes songs about drinking soda on my mom’s porch.

You use actual instruments to create your sound whereas other similar acts have chosen to go down the computer/more technological route. Do you think there’s a sense of ‘copping-out’ by using technology to create sound rather than going down the more traditional route?

Not at all – I think the tools should always cater to the job at hand and I hope that people continue pushing. Computers and sequencers work really well for some bands, it’s just never been something we’ve dove into. I think we’re just more comfortable with having instruments in our hands – it’s really as simple as that.

Am I correct in thinking that your dad was in a post-punk group in the 80s called Half-Church? Seeing as you and the rest of the band have all been friends since childhood, how did his work affect you all growing up and influence the sound you eventually created?

Having a close connection to someone who was a part of that scene, and being influenced by the music that was around then has had a major impact on our band. Being handed Joy Division, Killing Joke and Durutti Column records when you’re still learning the national anthem has proven to have some interesting results.

Aside from some dates lined up in the US, have you got any plans to tour the album internationally soon? What can we expect from you guys in 2011?

There are definitely plans to tour internationally in 2011. You can expect an EP on Slumberland for the summertime and probably a dangerous amount of touring.

Finally, three songs you wish you’d written are…

1. Slowdive – Machine Gun
2. Beck – The Golden Age
3. Mariah Carey – Fantasy

This interview was originally published on www.culturedeluxe.com