Caveman Band Interview at Northside Festival

While at the Northside Festival in Brooklyn last weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with the guys from the band Caveman again, before their Friday night show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

CoCo Beware is one of my favorite albums to come out so far this year, so I was excited to catch up with Caveman and talk about what they’re up to this summer and when we can expect to hear some new tunes! It’s refreshing to spend time with a band who has had such a successful year yet remain incredibly down to earth and kind – they even remembered me from our prior interview, when I had them fill out questionnaires by hand :) Following the interview they went on to play an amazing show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with a setlist including some favorites from CoCo Beware and a few new tunes. Read on for an interview with Matthew Iwanusa and Jimmy Carbonetti and some behind the scenes photos of Caveman!

caveman band

Caveman hanging out in the green room at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

 

caveman band

caveman band

caveman band

Matthew Iwanusa, left,  and Jimmy Carbonetti, right.

What have you guys been up to since last time I saw you?

We started recording our second record here in Brooklyn at the Rumpus Room with Nick Stumpf, who did the first record, and our friend Albert (DiFiore) who owns the studio, which is awesome. We made a video for the song “Old Friend” that should be out probably by the time this comes out. Its like a horror…weird…movie.

Are you guys acting in it?

Yeah, we’re acting.  Sam’s the main killer and its ten minutes long…we shot it upstate, it was really fun, a lot of our friends came and Albert’s brother shot the video.

Can you tell me a little about the new album?

I think it’s a further look into the vibe, in a more mature direction. That’s a bad term… we are maturing as a band, but our music is still in the same, I would say.

Yeah since the last record we’ve played for about two years live, so we’ve gotten to know each other even more so, musically, and the sound that has created itself live, we’re trying to capture in the studio. Manifest bigger places to play, bigger sounds.

We’re definitely approaching the record that way now, being so familiar with each other…and the band now is a live band so we’re trying to capture that vibe.

Do you know around when it will come out yet?

Probably next year but you never know. We’ve already started playing some new songs.

Will you play some new stuff tonight?

Yeah. We’ll probably have even more new stuff for the show at Union Transfer in Philly (tomorrow night! Check out their tour dates here)

So are you guys excited about playing Northside Festival?

Yeah definitely. It seems like its built up a lot, I remember when it first started it seemed really small and now its like on the same level as CMJ.

Have you played it before?

Yeah the first year we played Coco 66…for like 4 people.

And now you’re here.

And now we’re here!

Why do you think there are so many good bands to come out of Brooklyn?

You have to work really hard, and you just have to realize…Its anywhere really, not just in Brooklyn, but in Brooklyn you have all the resources you need, amazing clubs, positive people. And I think its great that Brooklyn has a scene and that people know of it around the world and want to tap into it. But really its anywhere you are, you do your best because there’s always someone else behind you so it just keeps you on your toes.

And it seems like there’s always groups of people that all hang out in the same circles and you meet people and everybody’s positive and that seems to help out too. And you make music together. Sending out that vibe.

Besides working on your album what else are you doing this summer?

Playing some shows…we’re playing two shows with Built To Spill next week which is exciting (one is the Philly show at Union Transfer tomorrow night!). We’re gonna go out to Outside Lands…

I’ll be there too! I swear I’m not stalking you.

We’re playing at the Independent in San Francisco too, that should be cool.

And just soaking up the sun.

You have a lot going on. So what do you do when you’re not working?

(Jimmy)I make guitars. I made those (points to two guitars on the couch).

guitars

I love the one with the cowboy and horse.

I made that for Matt. It’s called “old friend,” like the song.

I love that. How long have you guys known each other?

Since we were 13, 14…we went to high school together.

I’m getting emotional.

Be sure to catch them on tour, they put on an amazing live show – and, head over to their website where you can get a free download of their song “Thankful.”

Check out more indie music news in the music category.

Photos by Julia.

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