MOKB Interviews Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand of Beach House

Beach House, still fresh off the release of their brilliant sophomore album, Devotion, are just waking up in Houston, Texas when I reach them on the phone. Guitarist Alex Scally answers and tells me that the band’s second half, singer/organist Victoria Legrand, is still sleeping. He goes on to tell me that he can be a morning person, given that he has his coffee, which he hasn’t. Even so, he is charismatic and extremely polite. I’m informed slightly about his surroundings. "Houston is really crazy," he says. "There’s no zoning here. You could put a 7/11 anywhere." We make small talk about the excitement surrounding the bands upcoming and first ever show in Indiana and how easy it is to find spring rolls in college towns. I begin my interview with him and, after a short while, I am joined by a sleepy, yet somehow still bubbly, Victoria.

Beach House - Gila

MOKB : Devotion has been out now for a few weeks and the response has been favorable, to say the least. Are you happy with the record now that it’s out, and with the response to it thus far?

Alex Scally : Yeah, we’ve been really lucky and it’s been really awesome. I am happy with it but I’m already getting the same thing that I did with the first record, which is that I’m ready to start making another one soon. We’re going to be touring this record for the next two months and I already feel ready to make another one. One problem is that we’re really intent to compose music. That’s the way we like it, but it’s a rigid live thing. The most exciting part of our music is composing and creating it and we try to recreate that live. We try to get that excitement live, but playing these intense compositions again and again just makes me want to make new stuff.

MOKB : So you’re getting new ideas for the third record already then?

Alex Scally : Yeah, or maybe not ideas so much as just energy and desire to go and do something new.

MOKB : I saw you open for The Clientele in Chicago just as you were debuting a few new songs that would eventually be found on Devotion. I thought the two of your bands sharing a bill together made for a great pairing, but I was curious as to how that tour was for you and if there were any memorable moments from it that come to mind?

Alex Scally : That tour was great. Those guys were very nice. I think they helped us – you know, they’ve made so many records and been out for so long and I think they kind of helped us start to get some perspective as a really young, early starting band. (long pause) I mean…memorable moments...they like to drink a lot. So I guess there were a lot of unmemorable moments. They were a lot of fun. They’re so dry.

MOKB : How about in terms of crowd response? Has the live experience been particularly memorable for you in any way so far?

Alex Scally : Well, we’ve made playing live a lot more exciting for ourselves. But we’ve also been moving through – our last four shows were Birmingham, Memphis, Hattiesburg and Baton Rouge, so these are places where we’re still trying to win people over a little bit. We’re excited, but nothing stands out. Obviously, we’re getting a lot of new fans with this record and a lot of people are coming kind of not knowing what to expect, so there’s a feeling of, "What’s going to happen?,"..."What are these guys like?,"...and I think that’s neat.

MOKB : Yeah, I’ve read that you’ll be throwing some surprises in your live show this time around.

Alex Scally : (laughs) Well, it’s nothing too special. We’re just trying to create an atmosphere. We have things we wear. We’re trying to make it more theatrical – trying to distance the experience from the ordinary – not by becoming something that we’re not, but just by creating a scene – a world or a vibe. So yeah, that’s it. I don’t want to build it up too much.

MOKB : Has that energy and desire to begin a third album resulted in any thoughts or ideas on a particular direction, or is it too early to think about that?

Alex Scally : I think it’s already starting in our heads. Personally, when I think about our first record – it was incredibly, incredibly simple and I really want to experience that simplicity again. That's the most vague beginning idea I can think of, but yeah, a certain innocence and simplicity that I’ve really been into. I think it’s easy to get away from but it’s important to recapture a lot as you write.

MOKB : When comparing your albums, it's easy to see that, musically speaking, Devotion feels considerably more substantial than its predecessor, but it’s done so in a way that didn’t cause you to lose your trademark sound. How was the recording process different this time around and what made you decide to expand your sound in that way?

Alex Scally : I don’t think we thought too much about it. I think we just started to get into the studio with these songs we had, which we’d essentially written in the same way as the first record. We just went with the sounds we were liking. I think we really had a desire to make everything feel very vibrant – not so glazed over – not behind a curtain - very intense, and I think that’s just how it ended up sounding. A lot of the same exact methods were employed. I think it's just more sparkly. We were also able to give more time to it. Not that if we had more time on the first record it would have sounded all that much different, but we were able to be more meticulous, as our decision. I think that’s what allowed it to continue to sound like who we are. We didn’t get lost in the studio or anything. We were able to get these crystalline sounds and all these things we wanted, but without losing what it sounds like to just play live.

MOKB : Do you think there will ever be a point when we’ll get to hear you sing?

Alex Scally : I'm not sure. It depends. I don’t have a very good voice, so if that ever becomes trained or beautiful enough I probably will, but I’m not counting on it. (laughs) I like doing it but I’m not very good at it.

MOKB : Do you have a personal favorite song on the new record?

Alex Scally : I really like the song Astronaut. I love how crazy and abstract it is. It’s really fun to play when we can do it. We don’t have one of our organs on tour because it’s too big but we’re trying to work out a new arrangement of it, so by the time we’re out there with you, (in Bloomington) hopefully we’ll be able to play it.

...Victoria takes the phone from Alex after waking up...

MOKB : Hey Victoria, how are you this morning?

Victoria Legrand : I’m good, I’m okay. I’m kinda sore today.

MOKB : Any particular reason for that?

Victoria Legrand : Touring. My body - my lymph nodes are swollen. I put a lot into performing every day. I might not be rocking and rolling but my body is… (long pause)

MOKB : Feeling the effects?

Victoria Legrand : Yeah. It’s just readjusting to the shitty lifestyle of touring. It’s like, "Oh, usually you’re taking care of me and now you’re beating the crap out of me. Okay. Alright. Sounds great!"

MOKB : Is it very difficult for you to perform so regularly? Have you trained your voice to sing as often as you do?

Victoria Legrand : Yeah. Your voice is like a nice piece of leather that you just whack every night. (laughs) No, I’m just kidding. Your voice just gets used to it. My voice is now – I don’t smoke. I mean, I have occasionally, but not being a smoker and not screaming and things like that are good to protect your voice. But I generally think my voice is just getting used to it. You exercise it. I only speak this much during the day because I’m in the van and then on stage. I just pretty much know how to use my voice. In the morning, I generally have a husky voice. I get allergies and stuff like that. I just try and drink a lot of water – do what I can.

MOKB : Well, I already asked Alex, but I wanted to ask – do you have a favorite song on the new record?

Victoria Legrand : I would probably say Astronaut.

MOKB : Did you know that’s what Alex said?

Victoria Legrand : No, I couldn’t hear a word he was saying. Or You Came To Me. I think You Came To Me is neat.

MOKB : How was it working with other musicians this time around?

Victoria Legrand : It was okay. We had Ben McConnell come and do some added percussion on various songs. It’s sort of a bizarre experience working with someone else because you’re telling someone else what to do, but at the same time, they’re going to have their own way of doing it that might not work for what you’re doing. It was interesting, but in general, it’s nice just the two of us. But I have to say that having Jason on the drums live, doing that added percussion that we’ve added on the record, is definitely a big help in terms of feeling a sense of life on a stage. I think the first record, which is a live performance, has a sort of danger of it kind of feeling like a morgue, or just not feeling very electric, so you really had to go deep inside of yourself to find, in the music, something that would make you be able to communicate that to people. Now, it’s not easier by any means because the performance – like I said, I am sore. There’s a lot more movement. It’s not really obvious movement, but the rhythm has gotten a lot more needy, so it’s helping. It’s definitely helping move things along.

MOKB : Yeah, I’m very curious to hear what a full band will do to your songs in a live setting, especially the ones from your first album.

Victoria Legrand : Yeah, I think we’re trying to limit the use of the drums to a polite adaptation of a drum set – not like the stereotypical “Clash Clash! Smash Smash!”

MOKB : I’d say that’s definitely appropriate for the music you make. I can’t really imagine some crazy drum fills or...

Victoria Legrand : (laughs) You never know!

MOKB : Well, I personally think that it’d be great, in its own way, but who knows how well it would go over with everybody...

Victoria Legrand : No, I know. I’m sorry I’m being so saucy. It’s generally my flavor in the morning.

MOKB : No, you’re fine. I understand you were still asleep when I originally called so I apologize you guys have to do this so early.

Victoria Legrand : (stretches) Yeah. It’s okay. I mean, you’re probably up with your cup of coffee. I don’t really drink coffee because coffee hurts my stomach or gives me a migraine, so I choose to find other ways of inspiration for waking up in the morning. Like interviews! (laughs) No, I’m just kidding. You’re very nice. I’m sorry I’m being uh...sorry.

MOKB : No, really, don’t be sorry. I understand. I’m not a morning person myself.

Victoria Legrand : I’m like a nothing person. I’m not really a morning person...probably a 3 o’clock type of person. I’m really great at 3!

MOKB : So do you have any big plans other than touring for 2008?

Victoria Legrand : We don’t have any exciting collaborations – no one wants to do that with us. (laughs) I’m just kidding. But I think we’re just touring a hell of a lot. And musically, I mean, personally, I’d like to try and have a month where I can find some time to gather my thoughts musically because that’s usually what happens when we tour a lot – it’s just kind of – there’s always a mad scramble at some point where we kind of get pissed, but you know, we’re not really making anything new. We might go to Japan and I think we’re definitely going to Australia, so we’re going to be traveling to new places, which will be exciting. (Alex speaks inaudibly in the background) Oh yeah! And we’d also really like to, you know, open for U2, so…or no, collaborate! It’s only a matter of time before The Edge calls us up and is like, "You know, Beach House, I really dig your guitar sound and harmonies and I’d really like to collaborate on a new song" – his solo career. So we’ll probably be his backing band in a matter of four and a half months.

MOKB : (laughs) That would be the ultimate collaboration now wouldn’t it?! There’d be nothing you could say about it – nothing anyone could say. It doesn’t matter. It would beat it on all levels. The wow factor would just be out of control.

MOKB : Especially if U2 backed you as you were doing your Daniel Johnston cover.

Victoria Legrand : Yeah! With Bono in the back like (does Bono vocal impression) "Some things last a long time!" – you know, doing his Bono thing. (Alex joins her in the background – both singing "Some things!" – still in the Bono style)

MOKB : Yeah, then that would become an iTunes commercial and you guys would be set for life.

Victoria Legrand : I know! We’ll just cut the whole "indie" out and just jump into the "major" bet. And then...just kidding.

MOKB : Okay well, my last question actually comes from a special surprise guest who asked me to ask you this, so you’ll have to guess who this question came from.

Victoria Legrand : You’re asking it for them?

MOKB : Exactly, and you have come up with who you think might have asked it. The question is how many pieces of celery can you fit in your hair?

Victoria Legrand : (laughs) Who is that?! It could be like, five people. Um, I can fit...a buffalo wing in my hair....

MOKB : Any idea who that might have come from?

Victoria Legrand : Yeah, it could be, um...Ed Droste?

MOKB : That’s it.

Victoria Legrand : Is he there?

MOKB : No. You could just say that he’s a friend of a friend.

Victoria Legrand : That’s hilarious. Yeah, that was one memorable night in Buffalo that I stuck some celery in a head wrap and – it was funny. So I have a question for you. When you see Ed next, ask him "How many times did Chris Bear simulate something nasty with him in a certain hotel room in Milwaukee?" He will have no idea. He’ll just be like, "What? I can’t believe she put those words in that sentence."

*********************

So Ed, if you’re out there, and we know you are, and you feel like fessing up to these claims, the ball’s in your court. You have our email addresses...our contact info is on the side. You know what to do.

Beach House - Apple Orchard
Beach House - Master Of None

Beach House video for You Came to Me:



Beach House, in all their comedic glory, are currently touring the U.S., so catch 'em if you can in the following cities:

03/21 : Salt Lake City, UT : Kilby Court
03/22 : Denver, CO : Hi-Dive
03/24 : Omaha, NE : The Slowdown
03/25 : Minneapolis, MN : 7th Street Entry
03/26 : Chicago, IL : Schubas
03/27 : Cleveland, OH : The Grog Shop
03/28 : Toronto, ON : El Mocambo
03/29 : Montreal, PQ : Casa del Popolo
03/31 : Cambridge, MA : The Middle East
04/01 : Middleton, CT. : Wesleyan University
04/02 : New York, NY : Bowery Ballroom
04/03 : Philadelphia, PA The Barbery
04/04 : Washington, DC : Rock and Roll Hotel
04/19 : Bloomington, IN : WIUX Culture Shock Festival*
*with Mahjongg, The Dodos, Dead Child

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