Like a shiny new object that defies categorization, the Crystal Fighters are now feverishly working towards making you stop, look, and listen to their unique brand of musical genius. While it is not at all surprising to me that they've achieved a certain level of notoriety overseas, their popularity and fan base in the States continues to swell as they win over audiences with their odd but alluring brand of musical fusion that frankly defies all labels.
We sat down to speak with Sebastian Pringle, the enigmatic but lovable frontman who gave us some insight about the new record, their upcoming tour, and avoiding the sophomore slump.
Hey Sebastian, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. How are you?
No problem. We're good at the moment, back in London.
Since the last time we spoke with you, the band has been very busy indeed. You swept through the States--we caught your show at the Rock and Roll Hotel, you did a free secret show for fans in London, and now we are hearing new material and an album coming out on May 27th (Cave Rave). Where did you get the time to record new material during all this?
Well, it was all kind of fit in there. We dedicated the last year to the writing but in a month of writing, we kind of made these trips to the States which were a month long so once we got back we got straight back into the writing. And actually it did help a lot with being over there and seeing how people reacted to certain songs and stuff and it definitely informed the writing process as we were going along. But yeah, we spent a lot of time in the Basque country as well and as soon as we got back we'd go out to these houses in the hills and try to sort of reconnect with our roots of the band. That's where we wrote most of the stuff and then of course came out to LA at the end of last year to record the record. It was a bit of a whirlwind but we got it done and we're really happy with it.
I heard your May tour in Europe is completely sold out and while I was fortunate enough to catch you on the last leg of the East Coast run, I've got to say that you guys really surprised me. I'd heard many things about your live performances and I'd even seen some live footage, but nothing had prepared me for the energy of the crowd or the very interactive intimacy of a Crystal Fighters show. It was really intense. Are there any favorite memories you had of your non-stop trek across the States?
It was definitely intense! But it was a really fun time for us. We were touring in a vehicle with our good friends from London and it was the first time we'd really done or toured America and it was with a band we liked and so it was a great sort of bonding experience. Probably some of those times in the van, even though it was grueling distances, it was definitely a lot of fun and a bit of camaraderie was had. The shows were generally amazing. We were sort of shocked to see how many people came out to see us. Like selling out Webster Hall was pretty amazing in New York and of course the same in LA. To be able to shock people in some way, to show them our style, to get a reaction out of them was great as well.
I was interested in the number of really die-hard fans that came out along with the first timers. People knew the lyrics, danced along, got into it, and went along for the ride. When I wrote the concert review, I actually had a difficult time finding the proper words to describe it. Even had to break out a thesaurus because it was a little beyond my descriptive powers. You kind of have to be there to fully understand.
You do. Absolutely.
