In support of their new album Space, Atlanta rock band The Head will be playing a series of UK dates during November.
Brothers Mike Shaw (bass, vocals) and Jack Shaw (drums) and Jacob Morrell (guitars) have been jamming together since high school, writing and performing original songs inspired by the bands they love: trippy Brits like Stone Roses, Spiritualized, Ride, The Verve and Echo and the Bunnymen, and moody Americans like The National, Scott Walker and early R.E.M.
Over the years The Head have opened for/shared the stage with Primal Scream, Lucy Dacus, Those Darlins, Steve Wynn (of the Dream Syndicate), Shovels and Rope, among many others.
Andy Howells recently put questions to the band.
What lead you to decide you wanted to form The Head?
We were freshman in high school who shared appreciation for similar bands and wanted to jam together in our basement. The rest is history.
Who are your music influences?
The Stone Roses, Frank Sinatra, The Smiths, REM, Echo & the Bunnymen, to name a few.
Can you tell us about your new release ‘Space’?
It’s a record we wrote while touring. The road inspired a lot of the songs on the record. We worked on the songs every chance we had between cities.
If there’s a track that best defines you as a band what is it and why?
“Delusion.” That song is a catchall of everything we’ve done. It has traces of sounds we first explored as a young band, while simultaneously exploring new territory.
What can people expect from your forthcoming show at Gwdihw in Cardiff?
They can expect to hear most of the songs from ‘Space’ in addition to new songs we’ve written on this tour. This will be our first time ever touring the U.K., so to say we’re looking forward to it is an understatement. Most of the bands that have impacted us hail from the the U.K., bands like The Stone Roses, Echo & the Bunnymen, Spiritualized, Milburn, The Action, to name a few. The U.K. has always had a rich history of groundbreaking bands, so we’re excited to be playing in the land where it all began for us. In a way, we feel like we’ll be coming home.”
What are you listening to presently?
Beck, Father John Misty, Alvvays, Roxy Music, Weezer, Scott Fagan, Electric Light Orchestra, Acetone.
Vinyl or digital?
Both. they both have their benefits.
Keep up with The Head online:
theheadmusic.com
facebook.com/theheadrocks
twitter.com/theheadmusic
instagram.com/theheadmusic
- Catch the Head at Nov. 8 at Gwdihw Cafe Bar, Cardiff and Nov. 9 at Mr. Wolf’s, Bristol UK and check out theheadmusic.com for further tour dates.