Close
your eyes. Dim the lights. It's 1967. You were a baby. Or maybe you
weren't even born yet. The radio is blasting AM radio. Soul music.
Jackie Wilson. Marvin Gaye. The crooners of yesteryear. Now open your
eyes. It's 2009 (barely 2010) and Fitz & The Tantrums are bringing
your ears the gift of soul in an age where soul is like an itch that’s
barely scratched. Headed by part Irish part Frenchman Fitz, F & The
T. deliver a brand of artful soul and r n' b with a sentimental yet
modern flair. They just wrapped up a tour with Maroon 5 and Sharon and
The Dap Kings. ISR snagged some time with Fitz to get his thoughts on
touring, sticking with the indie scene and straying from the major
labels.
Don’t forget to check out their 5 song EP Songs For A Break-Up Vol. 1.
website: http://www.fitzandthetantrums.com/
ISR: Thanks in advance for taking the time out of your tour to talk with us. We really appreciate it. You guys have got the 60s soul vibe and AM radio thing going on. Who are your biggest influences?
F and T.: Aretha Franklin of course, Bill Withers, early Hall and Oates, northern soul bands from England like The Tams or The Fascinations
ISR: Where do each of you hail from? What did each of you grow up listening to?
F and T: Most of us grew up in L.A. With the exception on John Wicks, the drummer who hails from the northwest. I would say we all have pretty eclectic tastes but I think that once each one of us found soul and funk that became our primary obsession.
ISR: The name of the band. How did you come up with that?What were some of the other name choices on the table?
F and T: We wanted something that captured the era of the music we were trying to do. I started making the record on my own with James King (saxaphone) and our producer Chris Seefried. My last name is Fitzpatrick and all my friends call me Fitz. Once we found the rest of the guys and gal the play on words was suggested by my friend Dd and it just stuck. I hate naming bands so there was never any other names that were in the mix. Luckily we found Fitz and the Tantrums early on!
ISR: You guys are doing some touring with Maroon 5 and Sharon and The Dap Kings. What has that been like? How have the audiences received your music?
F and T: We just got home today from doing a tour with Maroon 5 at colleges across America. It was pretty amazing. We got great responses from people and we really were able to start building a fan base. Touring is hard work but it shows you the power of getting out there. The guys in Maroon 5 were amazing and really supportive.
ISR: Where do you see the future of retro sounding groups like yourself 5 years from now? Do you envision sticking with this genre or perhaps entering unchartered waters and exploring other sounds?
F and T: We love the music we are making it feels right to us. We love playing as a group. We certainly aren't trying to look into a crystal ball to know where we will be but I think soul music is timeless and will always have it's place because it comes from a place of honesty, heart And well soul!
ISR: What do you guys do for fun on the road?
F and T: Try to find weird little record shops or vintage shops. Try to find the best culinary delight in the town we are in to stuff our faces with!
ISR: What do you currently have on your iPod right now?
F and T: Bill Withers live at carnegie hall. '71
ISR: Have you been approached by major labels? Which ones?
F and T: Labels schmabels...they all have come sniffing but the record business is in such trouble that none of them have the balls to make a decision. They want you to already build a fan base..have a certain amount of record sales blah blah blah.. And I think well if we are able to get to the point where we are selling "enough" records for them the why do we need them? They can keep their seats on the titanic for all I care..
ISR: You guys are coming out with a full length album next year. What can fans expect from Fitz and The Tantrums in 2010?
F and T: We are really excited because we are almost done! 2009 has been a truly magical year for us filled with dreams that came true and crazy opportunities for a band so new and unsigned. 2010 is all about taking it to the next level and getting the music out there! We made a record we are really proud of and I think people will recognize it for what it is..good ass soul music that makes you wanna dance!
