The Walkmen [rank: 97] based on users subscribed

"The Walkmen are an indie rock band from New York City. The band formed with three members from Jonathan Fire Eater (which had recently disbanded) and two members from The Recoys in 2000. The group is comprised of Hamilton Leithauser (vocals, guitar), Paul Maroon (guitar, piano), Walter Martin (organ), Peter Bauer (bass) and Matt Barrick (drums). Four of the five band members attended St. Albans high school in Washington D.C. . They prefer the unique sound of vintage musical instruments, most famously the clangy upright piano, and their self-designed recording studio Marcata Recording, which uses analog recording equipment.

The 2002 debut album Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone was well received by critics for its experimental approach and progressive sound. The track 'We've Been Had' from Everyone Who Pretended...was used on a television commercial for the Saturn Ion. The follow up album Bows & Arrows, was released in 2004 and was listed by many critics as one of the year's best albums while embracing a less whimsical, experimental sound than the previous album. Several songs were featured on the Fox television program The O.C., including 'What's in It for Me?', 'The Rat' and 'Little House of Savages'.

Bows & Arrows was released on the Record Collection label from Warner Bros, in contrast to the independent label Startime that released Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone. Their next album, A Hundred Miles Off, was released in the US on May 23rd 2006 to less glowing reviews than their previous albums. The band premiered most of the new songs on a tour of the Northeast in early 2006. The first single to be released was 'Louisiana.' Peter Bauer and Walter Martin have traded instruments on the new album with Bauer handling the organ duties and Martin playing bass."

[reproduced or excerpted from the Wikipedia article "The Walkmen" and its use is thus licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License]

Bandega Interview with Peter Bauer of The Walkmen (April 2008)

You never stop fearing the Philly fire alarm special.

Q: How have your shows changed over the years? Has your perspective on performing live changed?
A: I think they have actually changed a lot, especially recently as we are starting to learn to play a little quieter, trying to be less standoffish with people. Our philosophy used to be to go out there and drill people with volume. We've had the same sound man for years named Chris Colbert. He knows a lot of tricks in terms of really running a PA as loud as it can go, so we would sort of egg him on to see how loud he could make it. I remember him talking about trying to get the ground to kick up clouds of dust whenever Matt hit his bass drum when we would play outside. Recently, we realized that this may not be the best way to go about it. We are still very loud, but hopefully in a less brutish way so that maybe we get more across to people.

Q: Describe the most memorable live show you've played.
A: We played in Brazil to an absolute sea of people and I think we were the only Americans there. That was great. I loved Brazil.

Q: What venue do you consider to be your "home", where you feel most comfortable, with the crowd and the place itself?
A: I think the whole band starts to get a little bit bored when we feel too at home in any given place. The third time around, things really start to devolve. Having said that, I really love Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia although we stunk the place up last time we played there. I thought someone was going to set off a fire alarm or something. I also really love Schuba's in Chicago, which is a very tiny wooden room.

Q: Describe the most enjoyable show you've ever experienced as a fan.
A: I went to see Tom Waits play at the Wiltern in Los Angeles by myself when I was about eighteen and that was probably the most enjoyable concert I will ever go to. It was the first time I'd ever been to California and I just looked in the paper and there was the ad for the show. I couldn't believe it.

Q: Did you ever consider, as a band, staying in DC? Is there something about the place that just doesn't allow for a creative music community or could you just not pass up the opportunity to live and play in New York?
A: No. We all left DC at different times to go to college. I don't think it was really an option for any of us. I just never felt the slightest draw to stay. I have a lot of roots there, but it starts to feel strange after a few days whenever I go back.

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