Finding Fiction is a band on the move from New York City. With a fresh indie rock sound and amazing work ethic, they are poised to make a run at success in 2009. In addition to recording a new full-length, the band is spending the winter on tour and hitting up South by Southwest, the preeminent music conference in America. This week they are in Chicago. You can catch them at the Tonic Room w/ Penthouse Sweets & The Wiitala Brothers this Wednesday. Review Chicago caught up with them while in Indianapolis.
Coming from New York, how has the response been in the Midwest, which is usually hesitant to accept East Coast bands?
Josh Coleman: Personally and musically it’s been great.
Tim Farr: I mean NYC is really competitive in a good way, so coming to Midwest feels very accepting. A lot of people are really enthusiastic about the music and genuinely interested in hearing the new record we’re recording next month.
Mario Santana I feel like the response has been amazing. I haven’t felt any sort of hesitance towards us really. Scott: people seem intrigued since by the fact that we’re from New York and out in the Midwest, response has all been positive.
Every band hates the dreaded ‘who/what do you sound like’ question, so I’d rather know who are some of your biggest influences?
Josh: Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, Wilco .
Tim: Currently some bands getting notice/or not but are still a huge influence is 31 knots and film school, they’re doing it.
Mario: I’m influenced my a few more recent bands out of NYC like The Walkman or The National.
Scott Eisenberg: I really like the Dismemberment Plan
Good Choices! I am a Dismemberment Plan fan myself. So, Have you all played Chicago before?
Tim: Yeah, we played Reggie’s music joint in December. That place is cool and they treat bands real well. We played with our friends from Indianapolis called Stereo Deluxe and a few other bands. It was a good show. They gave us food and drinks.we didn’t have a place to crash and so the let us sleep in the green room, we’re going to get back there soon I hope.
What is one thing you have learned about each other that you didn’t know before spending all this time in a van?
Josh hates computers but loves leaving his socks in the van – he also thought there was per diem for touring with us. Scott used to have an immensely long beard that we want to resurrect, oh and he brings enough crap on tour to build a small town. Mario loves to eat soup or canned vegetables cold and straight from the can – he also brought a sick library of books for us to read like Survivor by Chuck and Hollywood by Charles. Tim can’t do as many push-ups as Josh but always gets us paid by the venue.
Is this your first time playing SXSW? What are you looking forward to the most?
Josh: Yes, it’s the first time for us as Finding Fiction. Some of us have played with other bands though. We’re really excited to be there and to listen to all the great bands. Right now were sorting through booking an official show, but unofficial house parties and such will definitely be in store.
Any plans for a new release? Where can fans pick up your current releases?
Tim: We are recording in Nashville at Battle Tapes Studio starting on March 1st with Jeremy Ferguson. We are all super excited, all the dates leading up to will ensure the music’s tight by the time we catch up with Jeremy…and then hopefully we’ll deconstruct it all (laughs).
Scott: Hey!
Tim: What?
Scott: You can get our current EP on iTunes or CdBaby for those independent supporters, or come to our show and we’ll happily hook you up.
Thanks to Finding Fiction for taking time to speak with Review Chicago! You can catch them basically everywhere this year, but most importantly, at Tonic Room on Wednesday. You can check out the bands music at their Myspace page.
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