INTERVIEW: Brad Carter Of Pistol Youth

Thursday , 12 Aug 2010

Pistol Youth

Bradley Hanan Carter is back in the country this week with his band Pistol Youth supporting General Fiasco at the Powerstation this weekend. He talks to us briefly about what Steriogram's up to, Pistol Youths killer new record and living the dream in LA.

Who is Bradley Hanan Carter? Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

Born in Balclutha
Ride a vespa
Still get nervous when i perform solo
I <3 Volvo 240 wagons
Am the oldest of four kids

You've been making music for over a decade now. Looking back can you remember what made you decide this was what you wanted to do?

I just remember being five and intrigued by photographs of bands performing and touring on the back of records my parents owned...maybe thats when it started.

Now based in LA, whats it like living there as a kiwi musician? And what does a standard day in the life of Bradley Hanan Carter include?

I love LA, its definitely home now. I have some amazing friends, and a lot of great people in my life who constantly inspire me, its not an easy thing going 'all in' on a band these days. But in my opinion the worst day doing something that you love, is still far better than the best day working at some job you don't want to be at!

A usual day for me is wake up around 8, make coffee, work on some songs, go out for coffee, do some emails, have someone over to the studio to do some writing, drink some more coffee, then head to the local taco truck for the most mouthwatering mexican snack. By then its usually night time and we go out, and watch shows, or head to the pub, or someones house, or I just sit in my diner booth out on my stoop with some friends, and put a record on. Every day there is always so much going on in LA, I cant keep up. I have stopped worrying about missing out now, i just check in with the city whenever I can and enjoy whatever happens at that moment...best way to take it.

What's the music scene like in LA? And are their any local LA bands that we need to know about?

It's actually pretty cool right now, every night there are shows on. And yeah there are a handful of bands that im excited about, but always a lot of visiting bands passing through too. Local bands you need to listen to are Delta Spirit, or The Californian, or The Like, or NO, or Local Natives or Seaspin, or Voxhaul Broadcast, or Unionline, or Vanaprasta, or all of them.

The story of Steriogram is well known. You only need to google Steriogram to get a picture at the wild ride the band started out from. Do you think people in New Zealand take for granted the phenomenal results Steriogram achieved when you guys started? You were nominated for a Grammy after all.

I dont know if you could say taken for granted, I just don't think many people know some of the mischief we got up to out there...we certainly had our fair share of fun.

Moving forward a few years, what is Steriogram up to these days? And when can we expect that long awaited third album?

Steriogram just turned eleven on June 30th, and we are still the same line up and still all get on really well too. Tyson and Jake live in NYC, Jared and Tim in Auckland, and myself in Los Angeles. Tyson is pretty talented, he just started building an international hair putty empire called Fatboy Perfect Putty in which he designed the entire hair product himself, even all the chemistry etc. He's getting massive orders now too, it blows my mind. Tim is managing some pretty sweet New Zealand artists like Kingston, Jane De Jong, and Mt Eden Dubstep, Jared is working for his father in the largest and most prestigious second hand car parts showroom in New Zealand and he just had a baby, Jake is in NYC being creative and me, well I have a few things im workin on. Keeping it fun.

In regards to the third Steriogram record, well its no secret we have been taking our sweet time on it, but the good news is that its all finished now, just getting mastered, artwork is underway, and we are planning for the album and the movie to come out in October. The new video for our next single 'Movin On' is due out at the start of september. It's a great album, I'm super proud of it, and each member of the band contributed a couple songs, so its a real well rounded effort. Definitely a lot more sing a long than the last one.

Instead of resting on the path Steriogram was taking you branched out and started Pistol Youth? How is Pistol Youth different to Steriogram?

Well its a lot more personal content wise, but its also a completely different sound. Steriogram is really a riff rock band and Pistol Youth is loosely based on an early 90s sound we drew from some of my favorite artists and albums of that time, Oasis - Definitely Maybe, Smashing Pumpkins - Gish, Radiohead - The Bends, and Weezer - Pinkerton. Also Pistol Youth is essentially an online project/experiment as the members are scattered right around the world...Sweden, Australia, USA and New Zealand.

Pistol Youth's debut album 'My Own Private Amsterdam' is out now. After two successful EP's is it good to finally have a full album out? And what's next for Pistol Youth?

Yes it was actually a really hard album to finish, I was going through a lot of personal stuff at the time, but I'm really happy how it captured that season in my life, and what i was dealing with. It feels pretty amazing to know itis out there now and people are listening to it. But also a good way to mark out a season of life and move right along.

Which songs from 'My Own Private Amsterdam' are you most proud of and why?

Probably 'Listen' and 'Frankfurt', two of the hardest ones to write, but im so happy with how they feel. They have a vulnerability and honesty to them that kind of keeps me feeling transparent.

Do you find writing for Pistol Youth a more personal experience than writing for Steriogram?

Very much so, most of the themes on the album were mine, and almost all of the lyrics, so yeah it gets pretty close to home at points. Also I feel more of an ownership on what Pistol Youth does, where as in Steriogram we really all get to throw our two cents in the mix. We are very democratic; three or more votes gets the majority.

One of the things I have always appreciated with both Steriogram and now Pistol Youth is the approach both bands have taken towards music videos. Always creative yet never the same. How much role do you take on in that process?

Yeah really early on in Steriogram we figured out that we could make ourselves stand out if we could make a good video. The other thing I don't think some people realise is how much effort actually goes into making a good video. Not only do you have to come up with a creative and original concept, you also have to find the right director who can help you pull it off. 'White Trash' was the first one we ever made back in 2001 with our good friend Adam Jones, and that video actually got us on the NZ map. We had so many opportunities open up after that video came out, so from then on its always been a special part of what we do. The other day I figured out that across both bands we have so far made 17 videos. Sometimes if we really like the director we will just give them the song and when they present us with a treatment we like, we will literally sit back and leave everything creative with them. Sorta as not to get in the way of their art. We already did our hard work anyway by finishing the song.

In your opinion which NZ artists do you think have the goods to make it in the States and why?

Red Sea Boys obviously. Pretty much everything they touch turns to gold! I also really like that Naked And Famous song 'Young Blood' i think that would go down well and also Kids of 88 stuff is great. My two fav kiwi bands though are still Cut Off Your Hands and Collapsing Cities. I think COYH is the best 'international' band to come out of New Zealand in the last ten years. Great recordings and a great live show. Then with Collapsing Cities, I saw them play a small club last year with 300 people singing every word of every one of their songs. It was real...no industry was there, no bullshit was there, just people who loved them and wanted to have a good time!

I think its hard to define what 'making it' is these days. To me now making it, is waking up every day and doing something you love. Even if you have to go broke ass while doing it, because if you believe in whatever your going after enough, and it makes you happy then your really winning aren't you?

You seem to have a staggering ability to balance multiple projects on the go. Whether it be Steriogram, Pistol Youth, running your own studio and now playing for LA band Seaspin? What do you do to relax away from music?

I walk down to the pub..

Your back in the country for a fleeting visit in support of General Fiasco this weekend? When your back in NZ is their anything you just simply can't leave the country again without partaking in. Eat a pie and drink a V? A decent cup of coffee?

I will most probably go to the Ponsonby Food Court, and have that number 25 at the Indonesian place. I have really been missing it. Also the Free Coffee Friday at Huffer this week...I am pretty excited for that.

And finally, is this going to finally be the year for your beloved Liverpool?

Hell yes! I am so excited for the premiership to start. We play Arsenal on Sunday. I'm excited to see Joe Cole setting up a bunch of goals, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we might also have another few transfers before the window shuts...and that Torres injury heals properly.

Pistol Youth's awesome new album 'My Own Private Amsterdam' is out now. Download it here.

We're giving away 3 signed copies of Pistol Youth's album 'My Own Private Amsterdam'. Join the Rip It Up facebook group to enter the draw.

Pistol Youth Website

Pistol Youth Myspace