Brian Southall has been working on his project The Company We Keep for quite some time now, and with the recent announcement of a full band line-up and that some new music will be coming our way this year, The Alternative Review caught up with Brian to discuss the band, the music, and future plans.
The group has been keeping rather secret the past couple months but, if at all possible to discuss, what was the impetus for The Company We Keep?
The Company We Keep has actually been something i have been doing since right before the demise of TREOS. it existed as more of a solo endeavor, but i had always hoped it could become a band, and this was finally the right time.
Does the band name reflect a sort of brethren ideology or something different? Either way it’s a distinctive choice.
Although the name is obviously a known saying, it came to mind as a band name while out to dinner with a friend. we were discussing issues with certain friends, and she said ” well, we are the company we keep”, and in that moment it just stuck with me and really meant something.
Musically, are we to expect a bizarre mix of the atmospheric pop of Motion City Soundtrack with the playfulness of Brian’s recent output? Perhaps some ambient aspects?
Musically i hope it can bridge the gap between what music was in the 90′s and what is has to be now to keep the attention of a culture always moving to the next thing. its a rock band for sure, but you will hear many elements that will obviously remind you of any of our previous bands.
How did the band line-up, as recently announced, form?
Justin and I began working on songs i had while i was touring and working for his band MCS. we began a search for a singer, and after many amazing people took the time to audition, we finally found Amy right at the last minute before we began tracking material. I had always wanted to work with Branden, knowing he is an incredible talented drummer, so there wasnt much of a question for me of who to ask.
According to the website the band is based in Detroit. As you may have known there’s been a lot of work recently pushing towards a rejuvenation of the city, artistically especially, so is basing the band here an alignment with that or just what ended up happening?
I have lived in Michigan my entire life, most recently in the suburbs of Ferndale/Royal Oak. Being that 2/4 of the members live near Detroit, and being that i have too much pride to let anyone else say any different, this is a Detroit band.
Where do you plan to record the upcoming release?
We recorded a few songs in Philadelphia for our initial release.
Do you find yourselves influenced by the same types of things as you always have or are there some newer things that have impacted your material?
Obviously new material will always be influential, but i definitely still draw most influence from the music that inspired me in my youth.
Will the lyrics be reflective of the band name or deal with anything specifically?
no comment here…
Has the band picked out an engineer yet?
we have yet to work on an EP or LP, so no decisions have been made at this time.
Are there any places around Detroit you go to regularly? Certain theaters, restaurants, or concert venues for example.
i spend the majority of my time in Ferndale, or Royal Oak. Love places like the Woodward Avenue Brewers and UHF Records in the area. as far as venues, im a big fan of Smalls and the Magic Stick / Majestic.
Would you be able to speculate something as vague as a season for when the album will be released?
no exact plans to record an album yet, so cannot answer this.
Do you think you’ll be touring before or after the release of the record? Any plans on playing support for certain groups or are you fearlessly headlining right away?
we hope to be able to tour with this band as soon as possible, but have no immediate plans until we are able to record an EP or LP.
One last one just for fun – What music/films/books have been keeping you occupied recently?
netflix occupies far too much of my time when i am not on the road. i am currently re-watching the series 24, which is the most ridiculous yet somehow most amazing show. i wish i was Jack Bauer.
Band Links
http://wearethecompanywekeep.com
https://www.facebook.com/TheCompanyWeKeep
https://www.twitter.com/WeAreTCWK
