Originally published by The Land Salmon, RIP.
Back in May, I went to the Viper Room to see a friend’s band. They were opening for this gig called Saint Motel. I’d never heard them and wasn’t even necessarily going to stay for their set. But I ordered another Cuba Libre and posted up at the bar. Within fifteen minutes, I was about ready to rip off someone’s pants.
See, if Eddie Haskell had a band, it’d be Saint Motel. With the manners of choirboys and faces fit for Tiger Beat, they side swipe you with an insurgence of sexual prowess, quick quips and good ole’ rock and roll. Their music is fun indie rock with an incredible kick to the libido. They bring back that excitement of seeing a band live. They extenuate their sound with so much personality. From their pelvises moving like it’s 1953 in Graceland to their deer head décor, the music is an entire life force in and of itself. There is nothing better than buying a record you know the musicians love playing as much as you love listening. And there is nothing more dangerous than wisecracking seductive music makers that could be mistaken for teachers’ pets.
If all the contagious riffs and adorable bravado don’t make you think they’re some of the most savage musicians in town, maybe the fact they’re multi-talented will. Saint Motel was birthed at Chapman Film School, one of the top film programs in the country at a university that also housed acts like Collin Hanks and supposedly, Jodie Sweetin. So, not only are they pumping out provocative tunes but producing collections of comedic shorts. Basically, there is no escaping. They are going to charm their way into your life by any means necessary- audibly, visually or God knows how. They’re sneaky. They wouldn’t even give me their ages let alone their more devious plans to take over the world with online cat montages.
I know what you’re thinking: who are these multi-faceted, carnal creatures of LA’s indie scene? Well, first we have our film school founders: AJ Jackson, Jr (vocals, guitar) and Aaron Sharp (guitar, vocals). Then came Dak (bass) who they picked up at a sushi joint and G.S. Erwin who “approached us at a concert and said he was the right man for us.” They’ve been Saint Motel for a year now (after a stint in a band named Turkish Rocket) and released a limited EP while scoring gigs at South by South West and residencies in LA.
After a couple failed attempts to conduct a professional interview at a twenty-four hour diner and a strange, possibly French bar, we ended up classily picking up beer and sitting around my living room. I tried to pry some answers out of the alluringly ambiguous men and cleared up some misconceptions while they stuffed my dog down their shirts.
Interview after the jump.
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