Some of us forget that music exists within the world of Art. Music is the sound but there is so much more that reaches our soul visually, as well as sonically. our recent discovery Tower Crane Towers has managed to put it all together in one beautiful package.
We caught up with the Artists for a chat about music, Art, and the beauty of the world. Enjoy the interview here:
First off, what is the story behind the name Tower Crane Towers?
Our singer told us a story about how he once climbed a tower crane and watched a storm and a train approach from the north simultaneously. I think it really touched him – and he wrote a song about it. The rest of us just like the song…and the name. There’s also something attractive about the idea of the industrial feeling mixed with a lot of the organic imagery we use. It sets up an interesting contrast.
How would you describe the band’s sound?
It has been described as “melodic punk rock,” but there are definitely some other influences going on in there; oldschool hardcore, pop punk, even some folk roots in the lyrics. People are sometimes confused by the lyrics, especially, as they hint at a bit more depth than the usual pop punk or hardcore fare. But, as usual, it isn’t about what you do so much as how you’re doing it.
There is more than just music here. Tell us about how the project started?
Well, although we are all musicians, several of us have collaborated on different projects for several years – like street art, photography and silk screening. Our singer is also interested in things like DIY fragrances. At a certain point, we just decided that we could combine all of these elements to create a really unique, multi-media body of work. We all put aside our current bands and projects for a time, and focused on what has become TOWER CRANE TOWERS.
What is it that draws you to the Arts?
Everyone in the band has a different story. Some grew up in musical/artistic families – so for them, it’s a part of everyday life. Others of us really came to it through skateboarding – which, when you think about it, is such a multi-media entity in itself. There is the music associated with the sport, like PENNYWISE, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, even BLACK FLAG. Then there’s this great artwork on the skateboards by artists like Jim Phillips and Ed Templeton that’s just iconic. Skateboarding just encompasses so much creativity, so I think we can definitely attribute a lot to that.
These are some interesting band member names. What is that about?
Basically all of our members are either in other bands, or have spent a lot of time playing in other bands. We wanted this project to stand on its own and not be compared or contrasted to anything we are doing currently – or in the past. Thus, we go by letters: (w) (t) (j) (p) and (m). Further, Instead of the standard “guitar” or “drums” duty, we chose to refer to lead guitar as “capillaries,” bass as “arteries,” and drums as “heart” etc. in order to reference the project as a “body” of work, and not just a band.
How does a song come together for Tower Crane Towers? What is the songwriting process?
Suffice to say that each one of us has a different element that we contribute to the whole, and like any organism, none could exist without the other. There is tremendous respect for the overall vision, and though we have a myriad of different interests and influences– we manage to stay focused on the sound and intent of the project.
What do you hope a follower takes away from the project?
You never just hear music, or see a picture. There is always so much more going on. Music, scent, things tactile and visual; all of these evoke strong emotion. What we’ve tried to do with our vinyl release is create a truly multi-faceted experience. You have the music and the words, starburst colored vinyl with a hand-silkscreened cover (each one will be unique), hand-dipped incense sticks with a fragrance that evokes several of the lyrical elements in the music, and photography in the insert that depicts different times, places and themes. Even if someone experiences this and doesn’t really feel or appreciate one element of the whole, we hope that– at the very least – it causes them to think about how they experience art…and life, and how those things often imitate one another.
What does the future hold for Tower Crane Towers?
The hardcopy of the vinyl is being released in a little over a week. It’s something we’ve had in planning for a long time, and seeing it manifest itself in the world will be awesome. As far as other projects are concerned, we’ve already been back to TOMSTER studios (in Kerkrade, NL.) to record a split 7” record with another local artist named CHELSEY DELUXE, which we hope to release this Summer.
There’s just such an aura of creativity and passion that surrounds where we are right now, and because we’ve managed to keep ourselves out of a “scene,” there hasn’t been any bullsh*t politics or one-upmanship to cast a shadow over it. That’s refreshing, and lets us know that what we are doing – for the time being – is right.
