Saspot of Von Stache answers some quick pre-Not Fest questions about love, writing, and pretending to be decisive.
This is your first time playing Not Fest. What are you expecting?
I’m looking forward to day time partying, it’s the best kind of partying. There are a lot of rad artists on the line-up that we have never seen play before so it’s gonna be a great weekend.
You recently covered Taylor Swift’s Love Story for the campaign #lovesongsforequality. What made you choose this song, and were there any other contenders?
I was tossing up between Fox by Millencolin and T-Swift but Swift’s lyrics were easier for me to change to suit the Equality/Postal Survey theme and I have a short attention span so that song won.
Your record titles Quiet, Brain and I Don’t Like to Leave the House are instantly and overwhelmingly relatable to me. What is your songwriting process, and where do you find your inspiration comes from?
My main inspiration is personal experiences/memories. When I write new songs, I will usually come up with a riff and a basic melody to start. I record that, save it, then piece it all together later on when I am in the mood…which sometimes isn’t until a year later. All the songs from ‘Quiet, Brain’ had been half written for at least a year before we recorded the EP. Since Slick has been on board for drums, it has been a lot easier to finish songs because I can throw ideas at him. He is much more decisive than me, or pretends to be. Either way, it works.
Can you recommend to me a good song about sleeping?
Sleeping Lessons by The Shins. It’s pretty dreamy.
You guys have forgone a bass player, sticking with the guitar, drums combo. I love bass as much as the next guy, but something about the stripped sound of an electric guitar and drums rock bands tickles me right in the good spot. Was it a conscious decision for you guys to stick with the duo?
It has been a conscious decision, yes. Like anything, it has its advantages & disadvantages. A two piece means jams and shows are easy to organise, which is great. Sometimes it does get a little lonely up there on stage with Slick so far away from me stuck behind a kit. I’m not opposed to adding a third member to the line-up if they were the right fit. I’d be hard up to find anyone that can put up with my drunk antics more patiently than Slick! Honestly, I’ve never thought about or really paid attention to if a band is a two piece or a 10 piece. If the songs are good, the songs are good.
Check out Von Stache at this year’s Not Fest. Discounted weekend passes available for a limited time at http://bit.ly/2yLpE1d. Their work is available at vonstache.bandcamp.com.
Photos by Patrick Callow
Ragged Press 