Froth, POW!, Free LSDs BADTRIP at the Bunkhouse Saloon, April 10
Photo: @cfaruolo Carolina Faruolo
Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, Froth (www.frothband.com) first garnered attention with their debut LP, Patterns. Originally intended as a small-run cassette release, the album quickly became an underground sensation in the Southern California music scene, catapulting the band to local fame and prompting a vinyl re-release in 2014. The following year saw the arrival of Bleak, a more dynamic, adventurous effort that matched lush shoegaze soundscapes with driving krautrock beats, and earned the band press attention from outlets including NPR Music, Noisey, Vogue.com, and Stereogum, among others. Froth toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe in support of the album, opening for acts such as The Drums, Tamaryn, Pond and Craft Spells. Norma Jean of VIM Magazine recently had the opportunity to interview Jeremy Katz, bassist of Froth as they tour the US to promote their new album Outside (Briefly).
Norma Jean:
Reading previous interviews, people have categorized Froth as shoe gaze and surf rock but how would you guys describe your music?
Jeremy:
Lately, we’ve liked to call it noise-pop. Like noisy sad music. We really try to stay away from the whole surf thing because we don’t really feel like we’re surfy. We like shoe gaze but we don’t think we make shoe gaze type music. But noise-pop is what we normally say.
Norma Jean:
I read an NPR interview that said the band started off as a joke. When did you all become serious about playing?
Jeremy:
Originally, the band was a joke. Our singer, Joojoo, use to tell people that he was in a band called Froth. I don’t really know why. But it became serious once our drummer, Cameron, joined the band, which was in 2013. It really became serious when we scored a runway show for a big fashion company in France—Saint Laurent. They flew us out and paid us to make a song from them. And I think that’s when we all decided that we we’re a legit band now.
Norma Jean:
How did the fashion company discover the band?
Jeremy:
The fashion designer, Hedi Slimane, saw us play a show in Orange County and liked one of our songs “General Education.” She asked us if we could create an extended 15-minute version of it and use it for their runway show.
Norma Jean:
Has your success been a surprise to you guys? Greatest or most exciting thing that has happened to the band?
Jeremy:
Definitely surprised by—well, ya know, successful is a funny term because it’s not like we’re really making money or anything—but we are surprised that it’s gone as far as it has.
The most exciting thing that happened to us is signing a record deal with Witchita Records. None of us really expected that to happen.
Norma Jean:
How do you go about writing a song? Could you describe the process?
It’s pretty different every time now. Sometimes our singer, JooJoo, will come up with chords and a melody. Maybe a chorus then we’ll come together then build the song together. Or sometimes, like lately, [JooJoo] will have a whole song done and we’ll just play it. There’s not really one set way we do it but generally that’s usually how we’ll arrange it together.
Norma Jean:
Name some current music favorites you are all liking at the moment.
Jeremy:
We’ve all been really into that band Suuns from Montreal. We’ve always been big fans of Deerhunter. That is one of the only bands we all really agreed on liking together. What else is cool these days? Ummm…just the classic stuff like Ride and Slowdive. Those are all kinda our favorites. There’s this newer band from L.A. called Hand Habits. Moaning for L.A. is one of our favorites too.
Norma Jean:
What’s up-and-coming for you guys?
Jeremy:
So on Monday, when we play in Vegas, it will be the start of our tour. We just got off of tour, but going back on tour. We’ll be touring through the end of August, I think. After that, hopefully, we’ll come back and work on some new songs. So the first month we’re in the U.S. then we go home for one day then we go to Europe for 5 weeks. Then we come home for two weeks then we do the U.S. again. Then we go back to Europe in August again. So we’re doing the U.S. twice and Europe twice.
Bad Moon Booking Presents Froth, POW!, Free LSDs BADTRIP at the Bunkhouse Saloon, Monday, April 10, 7pm. $5 adv, $8 at door. Doors 7pm. Early show - Karaoke After Party! 21+
RSVP:
https://www.facebook.com/events/653610091515110
Tickets:
Norma Jean Ortega, contact: normajean@vimmag.com
