Interview: Shark Week comes early for D.C.
Though the Discovery Channel will not be airing its shark-oriented programming until August 4, local garage-rock outfit Shark Week is just days away from a week full of milestones.
Shark Week will play 9:30 Club for the first time this Saturday. The band’s 7″ vinyl, Santurce, will be released next Tuesday, and that will be followed by Shark Week’s first proper tour that Friday. Maybe we can call this Shark Week-Week? [Ed. Note: Sorry :/].
Luckily, the band had a few minutes for a quick video chat earlier this week. We got a chance to ask Ryan, Danielle, Dan and Alberto about recording in Puerto Rico, the ups-and-downs of SXSW and more. Check out the interview below!
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard Shark Week:
DANIELLE: A shitty version of the Kinks.
RYAN: Or if John Lennon never met Paul McCartney
So, Santurce comes out July 30, was the whole album written and recorded entirely in Puerto Rico?
DAN: Recorded in Puerto Rico.
How did you guys end up in Puerto Rico?
DAN: We booked some random one-off shows in [Philadelphia] and New York and did a mini-tour kind of thing. We got put on the same bill as a band called Fantasmes for both shows. We hit it off and they invited us to come down and visit them. I don’t think they actually thought we would come, but we did. They were just putting together a studio down there and we thought, “If we’re going to go to some beach paradise, lovely weather place in the middle of one of D.C.’s worst winters, why not use that time constructively and record?”
How do you think recording in Puerto Rico influenced the sound of the record?
RYAN: It was so laid back down there. We were at the beach the day before. I think it’s more laid back songs than the EP before this one. We were just relaxed the whole time and had a really good time. There [was] no running water in this place.
DANIELLE: Yeah, where we recorded had no running water.
RYAN: Yeah, and we all just took turns recording. Then there was this apartment building across the street with a really high roof, so we were either recording or going over to this roof and staring out over Puerto Rico. It was great.
This weekend is the big show at 9:30 Club, have you guys played there before?
DAN: No, this is our first time.
That’s pretty exciting.
DAN: Yeah man, it should be cool.
What other venues do you like playing in town?
DAN: Well, we’re used to playing like, somebody’s basement.
RYAN: That’s not really the case anymore, but we have played basements before. We like Rock & Roll Hotel. Montserrat House was really good, but I don’t think they’re doing shows there at all.
DAN: We really enjoy playing at this place called the Pinch.
RYAN: Yeah, the sound sucks there, but it’s always a fun party.
DAN: It’s basically like playing at someone’s basement. We just like that vibe, so it’ll be really weird being on a big stage [9:30 Club] because it’s not necessarily what we’re used to.
Well, speaking of that, you guys have played some big shows this year between SXSW and Sweetlife Festival, what’s that been like?
RYAN: I think we’re not used to trying to get ripped off as much as Sweetlife. Usually people are really cool [unintelligible] But yeah, Sweetlife was whatever. It was rainy, they have a curse. But, [SXSW] was a blast. I was just saying, that show you went to at Headhunters’ sucked, the sound sucked. I mean, it was fun because it was our last show of the week.
ALBERTO: But, I think I had the most fun at that one.
DANIELLE: I had the most fun there too, because it was probably the most intimate space. We played this one show at like, [2 p.m.] and everyone was just sitting in the shade—understandably so…
DAN: It’s really a total crap-shoot down there.
Yeah, apparently Headhunters’ was on an episode of Bar Rescue.
ALBERTO: Yeah, somebody told me they turned it into a steam punk bar. It is not even called Headhunters’ anymore its called…
DAN: Metal Alchemy or something?
ALBERTO: Yeah, just such a bad concept.
DANIELLE: That’s funny.
RYAN: That’s really funny.
DAN: At least it’s not a metal bar.
DANIELLE: I think I’d prefer that over a steam punk bar.
So are there any other D.C. artists you guys are stoked on right now?
DAN: Yeah, GEMS. They have a really beautiful song out right now called “Sinking Stone.” Then, U.S. Royalty has an album coming soon.
RYAN: Heavy Breathing.
DAN: Yeah, Heavy Breathing—they just put an album out. Paperhaus…
ALBERTO: Black Clouds, who we’re playing with at 9:30 Club.
DAN: It’s funny because there’s such a diversity of style, so it’s kind of a unique scene here. Like, in New York, all the garage rock bands hang out together, all the metal bands hang out together, and so on and so forth. It just feels more segmented, but here in D.C.’s there is like, one of each.
RYAN: Yeah, everybody just hangs out together. It’s one big scene.
What else is on the horizon for you guys, are going on tour at all?
DANIELLE: Yeah, we leave August 2. We’re heading up to Canada, going international for the first time. Then we’re going to Detroit after that, Chicago, Nashville. Yeah, it’ll our first time in most of these cities, with the exception of New York.
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