The Sovereign Space interviews The Alabama Shakes

Remember The Sovereign Space telling you about The Alabama Shakes'? In case you don't, just know they are getting much needed recognition domestically and abroad. The Athens(Alabama) home team has managed to sell out every venue for quite some time now. Fortunately, The Sov Space crew got an opportunity to interview the band(see below).

Also, I hope you got your tix! If not, come check out the band in Baltimore this weekend



Enjoy!
(Interviewed by Shep)



Describe Alabama Shakes in 3 words.

Tough, hardworking, humble.

Describe your creative process.

Usually our songs just start as an idea that one of us will come up with and then bring to practice to show everyone else and then we just expand on it from there. Some ideas stick where others get shot down in flames until we have expended every idea we can. Then we just use the best one. Writing songs for us isn't always about what's logical but what feels the best. Sometimes its logical to go where we do with a song, sometimes not. Sometimes songs end before they even get started. We like cliffhangers.

What is the origin of the Alabama Shakes name?

We were originally called The Shakes. Our guitarist Heath came up with that on the fly I believe. Heaths band at the time (tucos pistol) wanted us to open a show for them, so we threw together a band and called it The Shakes. we knew eventually we would have to change the name but by that point had all grown fond of "the shakes". We tossed around sooooooooo many ideas and tried to incorporate our upbringing or wildlife, roots, southern cooking and nothing held a candle to "the shakes" so we just tacked on Alabama to encompass it all. Easy fix.

If possible, define the Alabama Shakes sound.

tough question. so many people ask this question and its really hard to say. the best way i can describe it is that we are a new band with an old sound. there are so many influences among the four of us that there's really no telling what is going to come out. we are influenced by old r&b, classic rock, soul, hip hop, progressive rock, funk, country. i think our sound is more or less defined by our current mood or state of mind. music to us is all about feeling. the way you play, the way it makes you feel when you hear it, the way others around you react to it, so in turn our sound is defined by all of these things.

Where do you all draw inspiration?

Stax recordings, Daptone records, muscle shoals sound, southern cooking, actually food in general, traveling and movies. We all draw inspiration from each other as well. Someone will bring something cool to the table whether it be a new band or a new riff or drum lick and everyone becomes involved. We are constantly learning from each other and new people we meet all the time.

Other than yourselves, who else are you currently listening to?

Fly Golden Eagle, Sam Doores and the Tumbleweeds, Bon Iver, Howler, Girls, T. rex, Rolling Stones, Dantwerp, Lady Gaga, The Boss, Joe Meek, Jr Kimbrough, T. Model Ford, Jonny Cornadawg, Ann Peebles, The Strokes, White Stripes and Michael Jackson.

What makes Alabama Shakes sovereign?

We are all very hard workers. For the longest time we tried to juggle day jobs, families, practicing and playing shows. We stuck with it and just kept repeating that anthem in our head "its a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll". especially those nights we were playing 4 hours of covers with a 1/2 mile walk to load in and load out with 2 or 3 trips worth of gear and no hand truck. Enough of those shows will humble any working musician. Other than that i think our willingness to play numerous free shows and gigs where we knew we may not make much money but it was worth it just to go and rock out for the handful of people that did attend hoping they would enjoy it then spread the word.

Finally, Alabama or Auburn?

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!


Check out the Alabama Shakes' official video for Hold On