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Sights & Sounds: The Neufeld brothers' new band

posted by: maurice on 18 November 2009

The last day of their tour on the European mainland I talked with Andrew Neufeld, the vocalist and former guitarplayer of Comeback Kid who started Sights & Sounds a couple of years ago together with his brother Joel Neufeld. They were playing with Burnt By The Sun this night and we did this interview just before Sights & Sounds' set.

I also attended a Sights & Sounds show in Belgium with only ten people in the audience. So I asked Andrew how the rest of the tour had been:

"The tour has been great so far especially in England, somewhere around 30-100 people showed up every night. You know we are a new band and just released our first album so we had no expectations for this tour."

I confronted him with the fact they played in front of 10 people in Hasselt, Belgium while playing with Comeback Kid at Groezrock (in the same area) for about 1.000 people. I mean the atmospheric rock sound should be much more accessible for kids than the hardcore sound of Comeback Kid and it's strange Comeback Kid fans didn't check out Sights & Sounds...

"Well like I said we are a new band and not many people know us yet. I am just happy we are able to be on an European tour and grateful we could release our album here. It's just cool to start from scratch again."

If you had to choose between both bands, which would it be? Comeback Kid or Sight & Sounds?

"I can't choose and I don't have to choose. It's the beauty of life, my life, that I can do what I want to do. I am a guy with different moods, I love it to play in an aggressive hardcore band just as I love to be in a rock band. I am the type of guy who loves change, loves to play different music styles. I am happy to do a European tour with Sights & Sounds and right when I get back to Canada we start the Comeback Kid tour a day later. I just love it."

How can you handle life on the road for so many years? Isn't it difficult?

"Not really, I love to see the whole world and I am grateful to do this in this stage of life. It became a lifestyle, I been doing it for ten years now, since highschool. I am not the type of man who likes to stay at home in this period of life."



Playing in two bands with different music styles I expect you also have a big music collection...

"I love the contrast of several music styles. The changes back and forth in my life make it that I love different atmospheres and diversities in music"

When I put on "Monolith" at a party with friends, two of them compared the music with Linkin Park. I disagreed directly but can you explain why they thought of Linkin Park?

"I actually don't see the similarity between Linkin Park and us, maybe I have the same sounding yelling voice. I can't change the fact people are thinking of Linkin Park when they hear Sight & Sounds. I think it's a flattering reference."

The tone of his voice revealed he didn't really like this question so I quickly asked him which bands were an inspiration for Sights & Sounds.

"In the first place Twilight Singers and heavy rock from the nineties but also Foo Fighters, Sigur Ros and electronic stuff like Air and Telephone Tel Aviv."

I also hear a lot of Thrice in the music but I guess you both have the same influences.

"I guess so, you know we are both bands that have the contrast between louder and softer parts. We also both experiment with electronic stuff so I can understand."

Our first idea was to make a new chapter of the 'Life's a Mixtape' special with Andrew but after thinking about a couple of songs he wasn't in the right mood to come up with ten songs. He told us:

"Well I am not a fan of summing up my top ten of best songs aand I don't feel like it. But I'll give it a try:

I could sum up ten different Propagandhi songs because it's one of my favorite bands ever. They were a huge influence on me in my life as a musician. Also how they incorporate political issues into their lyrics is brilliant. The best song? Let's say:Back to the Motor League

On the road I also listen a lot to Air because it's chill music but I can't pick a favorite song. I also love to listen to Björk. The song Hyperballad is amazing.

Of course the Twilight Singers who's rock songs inspired Sights & Sounds a lot. You know this is Greg Dulli's (from the Afghan Whigs) band.

Damn I hate to sum up ten favorite songs. I can't come up with ten favorites, this question is ridiculous haha. If you ask me tomorrow it'll be ten different ones."



Are you the type of guy who listens to complete albums?

"Yes with some records I prefer to listen the complete record. On other albums I just pick a couple of songs that I really like...."

For me 'Monoliths' is the type of album you listen from beginning 'till end...

"I agree but it wasn't our idea to come up with a typical listening album. In the future we want to record concept EP's and also do collaborations with other artists. We don't want to fall into the norm. You know the internet is the future so it's also possible we just put some songs online instead of putting them on an album."

Instead of favorite songs what are your 5 favorite albums?

"Goddamn five albums, I thought you wouldn't ask anymore questions like this. I can't even remember our set list for tonight. I love music but I can't remember things like favorite songs or albums. Give me a minute, I will grab my Ipod to find a couple of my favorite albums.

Propagandhi - How to Clean Everything

"As I said I basically can come up with ten favorite Propagandhi songs but with this album everything started."

Madball - Set it Off

"No comment needed, Madball is my favorite hardcore band and this is their best album."

Telefon Tel Aviv - Fahrenheit Fair Enough

"This is one of the electronic albums I've listened to the most."

Sigur Ros - Takk

"I fucking love to listen to 'Takk', I am more into this one than the one before, 'Ágætis Byrjun'. The atmosphere is brilliant on this one."

Twilight Singers - Blackberry Belle

"I just love the songs Greg Dulli has written with the Twilight Singers."

Thanks. To close the interview do you mind when people are asking things about Comeback Kid when you are on the road with Sights & Sounds?

"No, of course not, it's my main band. I don't care if they ask things about Comeback Kid. I am happy when they are interested in my music. I can tell you we are going to record a new album before next April. The new Comeback Kid album will come out fall 2010."

Because Andrew wears a Cursed shirt during the interview and also is Canadian I asked him if he had some news about the Cursed guys...

"Well, you known the story and they are disbanded now. Vocalist Chris has a new band called Burning Love with members of Toronto outfit Our Father. They sound like a combination of filthy rock and hardcore. I like it!"

So this was the end of an, in some ways, awkward interview. After we got done Andrew played a cool show with Sights & Sounds although the sound wasn't that good and only a small part of the audience seemed to be into it.

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no_division	Posted on 18.11.2009 (14:31) goto top
	heel vreemd interview.

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