Your New Favourite Band: Wild Nothing interview

Two albums that have really caught this writer's ear of late were released on the same label (Captured Tracks), on the same day (May 24) and for a short pre-sale period, available on sexy, gatefold double vinyl. We spoke to Beach Fossils a couple of weeks ago about his half and ahead of his debut UK tour at the end of the month, we caught up with Wild Nothing's Jack Tatum to discuss the other half, his equally lovely lo-fi debut Gemini. 

Hi Jack, one word that constantly gets mentioned when people write about Wild Nothing is nostalgia. Is your music knowingly nostalgic? Or is that just the way it comes out?

To a certain extent it is knowinly nostalgic because that pretty much what I write about, but I think it just comes out that way too. It has a lot to the do with the haziness of it all I guess.

The Cure are one band that get mentioned a lot too - I imagine because of a song like 'Drifter', which to these ears sits comfortably next to any of Robert Smith's work. Are those comparisons flattering? Are you a fan?

Yeah I'm definitely a fan but its sort of funny to me. I think I get compared to The Cure more than any other band but out of all those obvious 80s influences I listen to The Cure the least out of everyone. I mean I have like, Disintegration. My girlfriend has all of their records though so I hear it a lot secondhand. 

The Guardian newspaper described your music quite neatly as "shoegaze on a shoestring" and the recording does have that feel. In the best possible way! Was a lot of it recorded at home or indeed "on a shoestring"?

Yeah I think thats a pretty accurate description. At this point its really the only means I have for recording, in terms of time and money. Its not really my first choice though. If I could I would record in a more legitimate manner. 

Blacksburg, Virginia is a place this far away webzine doesn't know too much about. Is it a good place to make music? Are there many bands/good venues to play music in?

It is not a place for music at all. It is very small, but I've come to enjoy it quite a bit. There are a few bands but hardly anywhere to play other than houses. Your typical college town.

You are, or are in, a couple of those bands - Facepaint and Jack and the Whale. Are they still active alongside Wild Nothing and what differentiates a Wild Nothing Song from a Facepaint or Jack and the Whale song?

No they aren't active. I mean I wrote all those songs but I don't really connect with them anymore which is why I'm doing this. It was just kind of a natural progression. 

Is Blacksburg home for good or would you consider moving to another town or city for the purposes of inspiring your music?

No I don't think it will be home for good. It's just where I went to college. I'd like to move to New York to really get this thing rolling. 

We recently threw this same question at you labelmate Dustin from Beach Fossils - that Captured Tracks seem to be on a real hot streak at the moment releasing your stuff, Dustin's, Girls Names, The Fresh & Onlys. To mention just a handful. Are they good people to work with?

Yeah Captured Tracks is great. Mike, who runs the label, is a wonderful guy. It's been a really fun and easy introduction to the business side of music. It's a a small label which makes things more intimate. Dustin is a friend, his record his great. I haven't really been in touch with any of the other bands though.

You're UK-bound in a couple of months time. Will this be your first time over here? Anything in particular you're looking forward to?

Yeah it will be my first time out of the states in general actually. I'm ecstatic. Really just looking forward to seeing so many different places. The London shows should be great, but I mean they will all be great I'm sure. I just hope I get some time to do nerdy tourist shit. 

And finally, who are your new favourite bands?

Beach Fossils, new Ariel Pink, Kisses. I don't know. Countless 80s discoveries

Wild Nothing play the following venues later this month:
July 24 2010 UK Brighton Free Butt
July 25 2010 UK Steventon Truck Festival
July 26 2010 UK London CAMP Basement
July 27 2010 UK Leeds Brudenell Social Club
July 28 2010 UK Glasgow Captains Rest
July 29 2010 UK Manchester Deaf Institute