Q&A: LVL UP Talks Touring, Sound Quality And A New Record

By Abbie Doyle, Editorial Director

LVL UP is busy these days. Dividing time between touring, writing new material and half the band running independent label Double Double Whammy, the lo-fi pop/rock outfit has its work cut out for itself. A few hours before its set in Athens’ own Club Underground, ACRN caught a few minutes with LVL UP in a cozy boiler room. We discussed potential album names, what it’s like to manage a label, Macho Man Randy Savage (ironically, it turns out) and the not-so dangerous effects of avoiding showers.

How’s tour been?

Mike Caridi: It’s been good. So far. Almost done; tomorrow’s our last show.

How long were you guys touring?

M: Two and a half weeks.

Have you been with The Sidekicks the whole time?

Greg Rutkin: We had two shows that were different, one in Chicago and one in Philly.

M: But other than that, yeah.

Are they fun to tour with?

Nick Corbo: They’re great, yeah.

M: They’re awesome, really good.

So LVL UP has never been to Athens before. Have any of you been here individually?

Dave Benton: Uh, I have. I did a, um, little ACRN session with my band Trace Mountains.

Oh, cool! How long ago was that?

D: In August.

So pretty recent, that’s very cool. What do you think about the town?

D: It’s good, I got ice cream somewhere?

Somewhere? From Whit’s?

D: Yeah, yeah, pretty good.

So you guys have your own record label, Double Double Whammy, which was news to me... But that’s super exciting; what’s it like to run an independent label?

N: That’s just Mike and Dave.

D: I’ll let Mike, uh, take the reigns...

[Commotion as other bands are attempting to get past us on the staircase we’re sitting on; Nick suggests we head into the boiler room directly next to where we’re standing. Groaning sounds as we attempt to wiggle into this tiny cluttered room]

M: Well, it’s warm!

N: I like this.

M: Yeah, this is cool.

Very cozy. A lot of loose nails.

M: There’s also an open fire over here.

Does everybody have their tetanus shots?

M & G: Yeah.

N: Nope.

No? Well I’m sure you’ll be fine. So, DDW, how is that? Stressful?

M: Umm, yeah. [Laughs]

D: It’s... a little bit of everything.

M: It’s very... it’s... It’s been, like, fun and rewarding, but also it’s really stressful because we also work full time and try to go on tour as much as we can. So it just gets, like, really stressful when we’re not around.

Is that why it took so long to record Hoodwink’d?

M: Nah, that’s just how we work. We’re anal.

I’ve read in previous interviews that you guys have said writing shorter songs is just easier, it takes stress out of the situation because you don’t have to worry about crafting something perfect, but your songs are definitely pretty perfect. Obviously punk influence comes with that shortness; how long do you think it took you guys to really feel like you were doing your own thing and not just thinking about Pavement or Built to Spill?

N: We’re still very much thinking about Pavement and Built to Spill.

M: But I feel like this newest record is the first thing that’s been, like, our sound, or something, you know? It’s just what the band sounds like, whereas the other releases we’ve done we were just figuring it out, basically.

N: It’s interesting too, because there’s three people writing songs, so there isn’t necessarily one super specific sound; there’s still three different people writing three different kinds of songs.

It all meshes really well. Do you guys know each other from home?

G: We all met at school, in college.

M: So we’ve known each other for like six years.

Did I read correctly that DDW was created to release your first demo?

M: Mmhmm.

Did it just take off after that?

M: It didn’t take off at all, really. We started it a long time ago...

D: We were just doing cassettes and stuff, we didn’t really know what we were doing.

M: We did, like, 18 releases that no one really knows about, kind of, and then finally... The first thing that got attention was Frankie Cosmos.

Are you guys sad to see her go from DDW?

M: [Pause] Yeah, yeah. But we’re still working with her on the vinyl that we’ve pressed. We’re going to continue repressing it, and we’re doing CDs, so we still work with her and are friends with her.

I just discovered Mitski like, a week ago. Is she as rad as she sounds?

N: Yeah, she’s perfect.

She sounds like someone I’d want to hang out with.

N: Yeah for sure, yeah.

M: She made a really great record.

N: She’s very charismatic.

M: She’s touring a lot, this coming year; she’s in Brooklyn but we don’t see her that much.

G: She’s busy.

Hopefully she stops by Athens, because people here would go bananas.

M: I feel like she probably will; she’s got a pretty extensive touring schedule coming up.

D: She just announced a bunch of dates, so you should check it out. It’s with a bunch of really cool bands.

M: Yeah it’s a bunch of bands that we’re friends with.

D: But it’s like, full U.S.

So I’ll be able to catch her. So, the vinyl comeback--that happened within the last five years or so. How difficult is it to get things pressed in a timely manner?

M: Well, it depends what you mean by timely, because I feel like... the turnaround is as quick as it’s ever been. But that amount of time is still, like, three months basically. They’re not doing it slower or faster now...

D: There’s just a limited amount of pressing plants and they can’t, like, make more, because it’s a lot of startup costs for not that much demand. It just is what it is, sort of. There’s some that will accommodate indie labels a little bit more, and others like United that are just gonna go for the biggest customers.

M: We get our stuff pressed in Czech Republic, actually, it’s just the fastest.

D: It’s kinda like the best customer service.

So you [Nick] said that three people are writing the songs; I feel like in your songs there’s always 10 different storylines happening, like a bunch of things coming together. Is it all of your narratives all into one?

[Collected pause]

M: It’s like...

D: It’s like, um... hmm.

M: They’re not the same, like at all, but we definitely...

G: ...Similar motifs together, stuff like that...

M: Yeah, similar motifs. And we reference each other’s songs, and then also just... We all basically have lived together, or in close proximity, for the past several years, so we are doing similar things and experiencing similar things.

N: We all lived together in college, and then up until very recently... I mean, me and Greg lived together, but up until very recently Mike and Dave were also living together. So we all know a lot about what’s going on in each other’s lives, and the way... One thing I really like about Hoodwink’d is that the way the writing process happened is that, like, we had a couple songs and they would grow and grow and grow, and we would be listening to each other’s songs and then we would start to reference them. So that’s kind of a pretty creative, cohesive thing.

It definitely sounds like one solid piece, not just a bunch of thrown together stuff.

N: But it’s still three people talking ‘bout stuff.

Your song “Soft Power”.... I feel like that’s one of the heavier, more bummer-y tracks on the albums? [Greg and Nick laugh] Can I ask what inspired it?

N: It’s Dave.

[To Dave] Everyone’s looking at you!

D: Uhhhh. Yeah... It’s like, all, uh, in the past now... Just like, bummin about... uh...

Life?

D: Yeaah... love...

M: The pursuit of happiness!

D: Not relationships, really, just, uh, your crush. You know...

Absolutely. I think just about everybody can relate to that. You know, the line “Same damn problem as mine...” Yeah, I got that.

M: Yeah, Ryan was our roommate, he’s still my roommate.

Really? What was the advice that he gave you?

D: He had, like, a similar thing going on and we were just shootin’ the shit, kind of.

Definitely. So you guys named the album after a 39-second track that’s about eating your feelings, if I interpreted it correctly?

[Greg and Nick laugh]

G: That was also a Dave decision.

D: Yeah, uhh, I don’t know... Same situation, just like trying to make light of it, I don’t know.

N: Did you name that song after the record or did you name the record after the song? I’m... I’m taking control of this [interview].

D: Hoodwink’d is like, in the song so I just named it after the line.

M: I wanted to name it Dark Sided Stuff.

G: Yeah, we had Dark Sided Stuff, Hex’d was another option...

D: We’ve got some pretty sick names in the works for the next one...

M: So yeah, next record’s already named!

D: Mike’s got a lot of like, really, uh, dramatic names...

G: What is it? What’s it gonna be?

M: For the next record?

G: Yeah.

M: We’re announcing it right here. Return to Love.

Are you guys in the process of writing and recording right now?

Collective: Yeah.

M: We have, like, six songs written...

G: We haven’t started recording.

M: We’ve been demoing stuff...

N: We have like five songs I think?

Do you have an idea of when you’ll be releasing it?

M: ...No, we have like, hopes, but I feel like we won’t hit our goals, you know... It would have been really cool to get it out in this coming fall, but in order to do that we would need to like, start recording soon, and we’re not doing writing yet, so... Maybe like next year or something like that.

So was recording Hoodwink’d stressful?

M: Yeah.

N: Sort of.

G: We put a deadline on it, and it... I feel like we rushed some things, a little bit...

M: Definitely.

G: We had to do all the mixing in like, two days, and I just didn’t go to work and slept on their couch, was there with our mixing guy...

D: We were kind of in a situation where we were like, ‘Okay we’ve been procrastinating this for a long time...’

M: Like, ‘We need to do this...’

There’s no motivator like last-minute panic.

M: Yeah, and we were between like... if we got it done by our deadline we could have it out in the fall, or if we didn’t hit our deadline it wouldn’t be out until basically, like now, and so we really wanted it to come out in the fall, so...

N: I think it’s kind of the same situation we’re working with now; it’s just like... [to Mike and Dave] I know you guys really like putting stuff out in the fall, strategically, but... Yeah?

M: Sometimes.

N: I don’t... I don’t want to have to rush it, so it might come out in the spring or something, next fall...

Very cool. What kind of venues do you guys typically play?

M: It’s been varying.

N: Usually rooms like this.

Just like this?

M: Boiler rooms, yeah...

G: Well at home we play at like, the regular spots, like Shea Stadium and Silent Barn a lot... We’ve been playing, like...

M: Bars...

G: Bars, and like...

D: Some houses.

M: Some warehouses spaces, maybe.

Like a rave situation.

M: Yeah. [Laughs]

N: I would say, like, the bar and the DIY music space is pretty much our “thing” right now.

So you guys are big on DIY? Because DIY is huge in Athens, it’s very much a culture.

G: It’s definitely a big thing for us.

I would say that a lot of the artists on DDW are all about the DIY scene. Adult Mom and Eskimeaux have been in Athens...

M: Oh yeah they just came through, right?

Yeah, like, I watched them play in kitchens. What’s your general, overall opinion of the DIY scene?

D: It can be good.

G: It can be very important.

M: It’s super important, that’s what we started in...

N: Our school had a very good scene for that and that really kinda helped us start up a lot.

Where did you guys go to college?

M: SUNY Purchase in Purchase, New York.

G: It’s about 40 minutes north of the city.

Did you ever play in the city?

M: Oh yeah, our senior year we started playing in Brooklyn a lot. And then now that’s pretty much where we ever play unless we go on tour.

N: We did a lot of house shows for the first like two years of being a band, and that was really cool, but it’s also cool to play in a cool bar that has a nice sound system. Feels good.

Your production quality has improved, I would say, on Hoodwink’d. Is that something that just came with experience and practice, or monetary means?

G: The process is still very by ourselves, DIY and lower-quality.

So just practice makes perfect?

N: We have a buddy that has better gear and a better hold on things, and he did all the drums, but then we did all the other stuff ourselves. But we have this secret reppin’ friend who mixes all our stuff and he did a lot, like helped out so much.

Well he did a great job. So do you collaborate with people very often?

M: Recording wise?

Yeah.

N: Mostly like Elaiza [Santos]...

M: Oh! You mean like, singing or with the recording?

Both, because you do have that female vocal on the songs...

M: Yeah, that’s our friend Elaiza.

G: She’s on a lot of our songs.

D: Yeah, she’s done a lot of stuff on other releases too.

M: I think she’s the main one... The only other person on our record. But yeah, we pretty much have the same people we go to, to record and then help us out. Whenever we want like an extra vocal we usually just go to Elaiza. We have a set group of people we like to use and work with.

So, one final question... It’s a bit not too serious... If you guys had to tour with any rapper, who would it be?

M: Any rapper?

Yes.

[Massive pause]

G: Oh god.

M: Atmosphere!

Atmosphere, okay... Why?

[Another big pause]

M: You didn’t say I had to say why!

Can you tell me why?

M: Ummm... I don’t know, I just like Atmosphere. I was between Atmosphere or Astronautalis. I like them both equally, I guess. I think they’re smart.

N: [Big sigh] I’m trying to think...

D: I’m not really...

M: Or Talib Kweli.

D: Matisyahu...

G: Randy Savage...

N: I’m gonna go with Macho Man Randy Savage.

I’ve never listened, should I check that out?

G: [Quietly enough it was unheard until transcribing] I was... joking...

N: Oh absolutely. Record’s called Be a Man. It’s very good. Really very good.

G: I haven’t... I don’t know if I’d answer in terms of rappers... I like a lot of R&B and neo-soul artists, but that’s different

N: We should go on tour with D’Angelo...

G: Yeah It’d be sick to go out and tour with D’Angelo but he’s not a rapper...

If Kanye asked you to go on tour with him...

M: No waaay!

N: I don’t think I’d wanna spend every day with Kanye.

G: He seems like a fuckin’... dud, I don’t know.

M: He’s a dweeb!

N: But just, like, full disclosure, none of us listen to rap music.

M: Sometimes I do!

N: Like, a little tiny bit...

M: I dabble.

The Run the Jewels album was pretty good, I thought.

M: I listened to it, I didn’t really care that much about it.

What?!

M: I know. Everybody loves it, I didn’t really care that much.

G: I gotta listen to that, I heard it’s amazing.

N: We could tour with Sia... She’s not a rapper, I’m just like, going down the line of neo-soul, I guess

M: That’s just pop.

N: FKA Twigs...

[Jumbled group conversation about pop vs. neo-soul vs. R&B, Sia’s name is thrown around]

M: We’re not even on rap anymore, just people we’d go on tour with.

G: I would go on tour with... anyone [except Kanye].

N: I wonder if Robert Pattinson would come on tour with Twigs.

Probably.

M: Huh?

N: I wonder if Robert Pattinson would come on tour with Twigs.

M: Who’s that? Oh, that guy from Twilight?

G: Oh, yeah... I don’t wanna hang out with that guy.

He might be really cool, you don’t know!

G: He might be, you’re right... I don’t know, I shouldn’t have said that...

I feel like he always smells, he’s always talking about how he never showers.

M: Really? Well none of us have showered for a while either, so.

He’d fit right in.

G: We have a friend who hasn’t showered in like two years, and... he doesn’t smell that bad.

M: Yeah, it goes away.

G: He honestly doesn’t smell like anything. So maybe Robert Pattinson just doesn’t smell like anything, like a weird ghost or something. An alive human ghost. I don’t know. That’s just what I have to say about the matter.

Any additional comments that you guys want to toss in there?

N: Not really... Thanks for doing this.

D: Yeah, thank you.

Thank you for being so receptive! I sent the email on a whim, not expecting an answer, and then within like four hours...

M: Did I answer?

Yeah.

M: Okay cool. We go in like, weird... at least I do... go in weird cycles of checking the email and then just not checking it for like a month and a half.

Dude, I’m really glad that you checked it.

M: And then like I check it, and I’m like ‘Okay I’ll respond to these five or six people,’ and then won’t respond to a lot of other people... I dunno. None of us really check the email, I feel like.

N: I always assume that somebody else is checking the email. I’m usually right. It’s usually one of you [Mike and Dave].

M: So yeah, thanks for doing this. Glad I checked the email!

#interview #qa #lvlup #abbiedoyle