The American Analog Set is an intensely creative musical organism that has grown out of the Austin Texas area. This 5 piece band has completely overtaken my stereo with their latest remixes EP "Updates" and their 2000 release "The Golden Band". I had a chance to chat with Ken, one of their members. Heres what went down…

www.tigerstylerecords.com

Rob – Can you give me a history of The American Analog Set?

Ken – I guess we started of in Fort Worth, Texas in 1995. Summer of 1995 was the first time we really wrote together and played a lot. We were just all friends that like one another so we started playing together. It wasn't really a ‘we are riding this rocket to the top' kind of experiment; it was more like we just wanted to be in a band together because we liked the same kind of music. It was a friends first kind of thing. And Mark and Lisa lived in Austin, but were just home for the summer. So the following year Lee and I moved down from Fort Worth to Austin to be with Mark and Lisa. So until the end of 1999 the line-up stayed the same and we released records on Emperor Jones in Austin. We had a great time. I guess at the beginning of 2000, Lisa left and we got another keyboard player Tom. So we just kept booking, we were never really a full time organization. We were just always a fun type band. So it always takes a long time between releases. I think we are more music fans than we are musicians really.

Rob – With "Updates" you have Her Space Holiday and Styrofoam remixing songs, what motivated you to go with them for the remixes?

Ken – Again, it was just friends. It just fell into place basically overnight. Mike Treff up at Tigerstyle said, ‘hey, Styrofoam is wanting to remix some songs, and we kinda know him, so what do you say?' and I was like, ‘of course, let me know what he needs.' So I dubbed him down the tracks, off of the 8-track. It seemed like the week really, Her Space Holiday got a hold of us, and said they really wanted to remix a song. So I sent them what they wanted. So then next thing I knew we were getting them back in the mail, and they sounded really cool. So I thought to myself, ‘hey these sound really cool, we should release this.' Because we were planning on touring that summer with Her Space anyway, even though Styrofoam was not on the tour because he is from Belgium. Even though he is not on the tour, it will still be AmAnSet and Her Space.

Rob – Who influenced you guys with your sound?

Ken – We were really always heavy electric piano and organ. Mark is kind of a chill drummer, and he was perfect. More or less he created the sound because of his drumming. But as far as influences go, what we listened to coming up really comes through in ways you wouldn't expect. Mark and Lee grew up straight punk rock and metal, and we ended up being a very chill band. Even though once the 90's came around we started listening to a lot of early 90's British invasion stuff, that was really a connection for us. But I don't know if those come through like they used to.

Rob – You guys have a song, and had some merch with the theme "punk as f***". How do you think you guys fit in as being, "punk as f***"?

Ken – That was one of those things that you kind of do and then you rationalize your way through. Mark and Lee always thought it was a really clever title, especially for a band that is completely not punk rock. We are lame, by people who even listen to lame music, so the songs was kind of ironic. So more than one person said that it was kind of a punk rock song, because punk originally was a very reactionary kind of music; so if you listen to the radio or go to any rock show, its pretty rough stuff. So to be chill these days is kind of a punk thing to do. If not in music, then in attitude. Then I guess on an entirely different level, with the song being about ‘your on my side, and we're always right' is also a continuing on a punk ethic.

Rob – With you guys being a more electronic oriented band, did you feel weird having your songs remixed?

Ken – If it had been anyone else then yes, but since these people are kind of family, no. That is what we have always been about, just being creative with friends. Not doing it because you are an artist, or it has to be done, or your music is vital to the rest of culture. It was always just, ‘hey, we're friends, we wanna party and make music as friends.' So they worked well for remixing us. Having Her Space do it was perfect. They are just great great people. Plus I'm in love with the idea of being in love in a band, if people can pull it off. And they pull it off so well. So when they wanted to remix, it was just whatever they wanted.

Rob – Do you think that couples in bands are more of a potential for disaster or what?

Ken – The potential for disaster is way higher, and that is why it so rarely works, but when it does it works in a way without a couple being there. When it works it works really well. When it happens musically and relationship wise, it is f***ing beautiful. But I think that obviously it is more of a recipe for disaster than a recipe for success. But occasionally it works, and when it does, its great.

Rob – What can people expect from The American Analog Set in the near future?

Ken – I don't know, see we recorded some demos before we left for tour this summer. I've been kind of working with those, fiddling around and some of them have actually turned out well enough that they could be released. So I don't know if that is going to end up being a record or if we are going to re-record them. We toured 6 months out of the past year, so we are definitely on break now. Everybody is kind of doing their own thing now. I think this Christmas we will have a little pow wow and try to figure out what will happen. I think that you will definitely see another Analog Set release. We had a lot of fun on tour and we fleshed out a lot of songs, and I really want to see them recorded before they get stale. But we have been back for 2 months so they are still kind of fresh in my mind. I want to get them down on tape before they expire.

Rob – What direction do you see the music moving?

Ken – I don't know. I will say that all but one of the new songs were a little quicker. The stuff on "Know By Heart" is quick for us, but the stuff we played this summer were a little bit longer. Of course, they were rowdy or anything like that, but they were a little more assertive and were really fun to play live. So I think that the next record may be back to longer songs of AmAnSet of old, but with a little more of an uptempo like "Know By Heart".

Rob – Where can people get more information about you guys?

Ken – I guess the Tiger Style website is the best place. www.tigerstylerecords.com Our website has been updated for a year, but if you want any info Mike Treff is a great guy to get a hold of, so email him with your questions.