ACL Fest Interview: T Bird and The Breaks
In 2006, Ghostland Observatory was meticulously plying its trade on the club scene when one afternoon performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival changed the duo’s career trajectory drastically. Fast forward to 2010. This time around, effervescent soul outfit T Bird and the Breaks seems destined for glory come October. A quick glance at the crowd at any of its shows offers evidence of the band’s draw among all demographics. It’s hardly surprising given the universal appeal of the troupe’s savvy soul sound. The band may have gained a decent amount of recognition and played a few choice concerts in town already, but it’s that ever prestigious spot at ACL Fest that could well be the ticket to the big time.
As you would expect, many, many talented musicians comprise the nine-piece that is T Bird and the Breaks. We asked one of them, drummer Sam Patlove, to shed some light on his influences and the inner workings of this sizeable group. Catch the band in action at 6:40 p.m. on the BMI Stage on the final day of the festival.
Are you originally from Austin? How did this band get started? Any insight on the chosen moniker?
Tim Crane (T Bird) and I have known each other since 9th grade in Massachusetts. We had a band up there before we moved here. We had always talked about having a big soul band. He moved here and got things started, and I moved down a few months after. I have to take credit for the "Breaks" part of the name -- I was looking through my iTunes library and saw “The Breaks” by Curtis Blow.
T-Bird and the Breaks had nine members on last check -- what are the pros and cons of dealing with a large group of people in the recording studio, when planning gigs, and in general, making it all work?
I forget what it's like to work with a four piece....probably pretty easy. We use an online calendar for gigs so it's updated live and everyone can access it. Stopping at a gas station or leaving a hotel can take ions sometimes.
Is the upcoming ACL Fest spot T-Bird and The Breaks’ biggest gig yet? What do you consider to be your past “biggest” or favorite shows?
We played at Festival International in Lafayette, LA this spring because Black Joe Lewis was stuck in Europe. It was a great show... probably our biggest.
How is your mission of releasing a two song 7 inch single each month going?
Well, we got to four (eight songs) but ran out of money. Those 7" vinyls are expensive! We will continue to put out singles as downloads though, not necessarily on any "one a month" type of schedule but frequently.
Are there any plans to record / release a second full-length this year?
Absolutely. It's in the works now.
We’re assuming many in the band are fans of soul and funk music -- what are a you listening to these days? Any favorite local acts you can’t get enough of right now?
Yes, we have very broad taste beyond the usual suspects like James Brown, etc. I've been digging The Whitefield Brothers album Earthology recently as well as Spoon's new record. Local bands I like include Greyhounds, Ocote Soul Sounds, Afrofreque, and Cowboy and Indian.
Finally, what do you love about Austin, and what are some things here you could live without?
I love the weather, the leisurely way of life, Tex-Mex food, the people, the music and art scenes. There's always something going on.....sometimes you wanna just stay home! Also, people in Austin really need to learn how to drive....they need to understand the concept of GOING. I want to make bumper stickers that say: GO MORE in reverse so when they look in their rearview while they're texting at a green light, they'll see it.
All the best for the rest of the year (and beyond), and thank you for speaking with Austinist.
