Tony Smith of Kentucky garage-pop band Sleeper Agent talks to The Eagle’s Tam Sackman about touring with New Politics, festivals and bands that inspire them.
Eagle: You kicked off your tour with New Politics pretty recently. Can you tell me how that’s going so far?
Tony Smith: It’s going really well. We did six dates in a row, so now it’s about kind of hitting a certain stride, making sure that everybody’s voice is healthy, morale’s great. Luckily both bands (New Politics and Magic Man) that we’re touring with are just amazing people, which is really nice to have on the road, as opposed to bands that aren’t as warm or welcoming. The shows have been killer, too.
E: You’ve also announced a bunch of festivals that you’re going to be participating in this year. Do you prefer a festival setting or do you like a closed venue better?
TS: It really depends if we have an extra day to hang out at the festival… that’s always a lot of fun… but if we’re just there for a few hours and we have to pack up and go it’s kind of a bummer cause you want to stick around and enjoy the free food and check out a bunch of bands and catch up with people you might have seen on the road previously. But a festival is always a nice change of pace to get away from the monotony of travel/venue, travel/venue.
E: You’ve toured with some pretty big names including Cage the Elephant, Fun., Weezer and Ben Kweller. What have you gained from playing such huge shows?
TS: Well, fans, exposure… and a lot of great stories. A lot of experience. A lot of knowledge on how to propel ourselves as a band as well. At the time we were touring with Cage the Elephant, we were just such in awe. We learned very quickly the way the road works, the way scheduling works and how to maintain and not wear yourself out. How to really hype up a crowd. Matt is a very energetic frontman. We had also grown up with those guys, so it was kind of like being on a family vacation in some aspects.
E: Your album “About Last Night” drops in March. What can fans expect from this new album?
TS: Fans can expect a much deeper experience. A little more intense, a little less frivolous. It rocks just as hard but it also cuts a little deeper in an emotional sense. To me, it feels like a more fully realized experience than the first album.
E: How has your music progressed since 2011’s “Celebrasion”?
TS: The first album was kind of a “go, go, go” mentality with a lot of walls, guitars, and distortion, two math-pop songs. This one takes a step back and allows for the layers of different kinds of instruments to penetrate. The dynamics are lot more clear.
E: Who do you look to as the greatest influences on your music?
TS: It changes every year. But personally, my favorite bands have always been Wilco with Jeff Tweedy’s lyrics, The Pixies, Spoon, Modest Mouse. All those college rock bands heavily inspired me.
E: Who would your dream tour be with (dead or alive)?
TS: Well, it wouldn’t make too much sense but I would watch Wilco every night. Or The Pixies every night. Luckily both of those bands are still touring.
E: You share vocal duties with Alex Kandel. What’s the benefit to having both a male and female lead singer?
TS: The way it started was that we added her to the band three days before our first show. She didn’t have time to learn all of the lyrics, so we just kind of split the difference and then stuck with that format. We kind of learned to sing like each other as well. But I guess the benefit is having that support, that backup the entire show. Recently her voice has been a little degraded because we’ve played so many shows in a row. I’ll sing some of the parts and give them some rhythm to make them stronger. And she would definitely do the same for me.
E: What can audiences expect from your show with New Politics?
TS: It seems to be a nonstop assault of high energy. And a lot more dancing is going on this tour than I’ve ever experienced. All three bands are very poppy and dancy. We haven’t played a show yet where the vibes haven’t been amazing. It feels like a block party every show to me.
E: What do you miss the most when you’re on tour?
TS: Wide open spaces. And being on my own schedule.
Tony and the rest of Sleeper Agent with Magic Man and New Politics played on Jan. 26 at Rock and Roll Hotel.
“tsackman@theeagleonline.com”:tsackman@theeagleonline.com
