New Interview With Dalin Horner of Long Shadows: "...somewhere between childhood memories and Vincent Price movies." / LPL Last Bash Recap

Readers, you'll be hard-pressed to find two bands with less social media presence than Long Shadows and The Leotards.  Dalin Horner of Long Shadows claims that the band has a FB presence, but we'll be damned if we can find it!  And The Leotards simply refuse to create a FB page because they are so very "punk": it makes them angry as fuck if you "like" them.

Nonetheless, these two bands are coming out of the shadows together (get it!!) for a big Replay double-bill on Sunday.  They'll be playing the post-kickball late show, of course, since The Leotards have long since been banned from the Sunday matinee.  So head to the bar and check out these acts in person, since that's pretty much the only way you CAN check them out.  Reread our Leotards interview over here (though keep in mind that the band has recently "matured" into a three piece with keyboardist Jason Jones).  And enjoy today's interview with Dalin of Long Shadows.


Chip:  Where did the name Long Shadows come from?  It suggests to me a dainty Victorian-era sound, which is a far cry from what I heard when you pummeled me into submission at a Replay patio show.

Dalin:  I don't know.  Somewhere between childhood memories and Vincent Price movies, I suppose. When I was young, we lived in the country and I remember watching all the shadows dance around on my bedroom wall while I was falling asleep. I would just let my imagination go and usually wind up scaring the shit out of myself.

I guess I just like the imagery.  It takes me back to the wild imagination of youth. So when I found myself with all this new material without a home I started calling it LongShadows.

Richard:  How do you describe the Long Shadows sound?  And can you end your description by using one of those “we sound like _________ meets  __________” comparisons?  And can you fill in those blanks with obscure  bands?

Dalin:  Let's see... sensitive psych, Wiccan-Ouija rock, Crowley-core, blissful concussions...

It's kind of like that gum that has 27 flavors or SOMETHING, but really doesn't last that long. It's like that... with Pop Rocks... and Flavor Crystals...

But, really, I don't know if I can answer that question because we are still feeling things out in a lot of ways. At this point it is what it is. At the core, the songs are fairly minimalist. Usually I will record a demo of the song and play it for the other guys. If they dig it then we start chopping away at it. I find it really interesting to watch these experiences and memories evolve into their own entities. I do have to stop and remind myself sometimes to let the songs grow on their own terms. But in all reality, once an idea leaves your head it's already been compromised. 

So, that being said, I guess we are a cross between Bieber Fever and Post-Avatar depression.

Chip:  Once I saw your band Black Christmas doing a multimedia performance called “Piece Now” at the Replay.  I was spectacularly confused.  Does Long Shadows have any performance-art-y kind of ideas for future shows?

Dalin: I've always felt that if you have the means to take it to another level, then why not? So, I can answer that question in three words: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. Let me restate that answer with one word: Dimethyltryptamine. Yes, wheels are turning...

You can hear all 50 minutes of "Piece Now" via Soundcloud and here is six-minutes of that legendary performance via Youtube:

Richard:  What’s your take on the LFK music scene right now?  And who are some of your favorite bands?

Dalin:  The creative community in Lawrence is undeniable. The diversity, collaborations, and support are inspirations in and of themselves. The music scene is no exception. Granted, there have been periods that seem more exciting than others but I don't think Lawrence has ever been starved for choice music. For instance, Jasper and I were talking the other day about how we miss the days of the Pirate House and the Halfway House and other DIY venues and how that was a really exciting time here. Even though I didn't live here at the time, I still love hearing (many times over and over) all of the stories of The Outhouse shows. And we still have a vibrant music scene. There are still the staple bands and artists like Approach, Split Lip, This Is My Condition and Drakkar Sauna, still doing their own things and doing them successfully and well. As it's been in the past, new bands have come along and new collaborations have sprung from that: Jeff and Kelly doing The Hips, and then there's Swanson, Muscle Worship, Tyler Gregory, Cloud Dog, Jabber Josh and then Fuck!, the list goes on and on... So that being said, I think we have it pretty good at present.

Chip:  You personally invited our friends in The Leotards to open for you this Sunday at the Replay, which is a pretty risky proposition given their penchant for drunken brawls and public obscenity charges.   What do you make of them, and what’s your favorite Leotards song.  Mine has got to be the one [this one] where Stix screams “Is that your dick in my throat?” over and over.  

Dalin:  Metaphors are great, aren't they? But, I didn't catch that particular number. Honestly, I've only caught one Leotards show. However, Iain and I have always shared musical interests and in the past he has been nothing but supportive with projects I've been involved with. So, when I went to see him play, I thought it was really unique to what's going on right now. I asked if they were interested in playing the show. And so it will be. Save us all.

Richard:  What’s on the horizon for Long Shadows in terms of recording and upcoming gigs?
 

Dalin:  We're playing the Riot Room on the 8th and then The Bottleneck on the 10th. As for recording, we mess around with home recording all the time and it's great practice laying everything out and getting on the same page. Not that spontaneity isn't important but that's the least of our worries right now! But this is what demo-ing is all about: to ultimately record a record as confidently and as efficiently as possible. So, we're hoping to be doing that by the end of the summer. Until then, I guess we'll be getting the scratch together to make it happen.

Unable to find online flyers for the show, we sent Chip out to take an "artsy" photo at the Replay.  Notice how his elbow can be seen, almost seeming to merge with the flyer itself.  That's purely intentional.


 

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Unable to resist the illicit thrill of drinking beer on the public library steps, we stopped by the LPL's annual Last Bash yesterday evening to catch the tail end of Hospital Ships' set followed by a super-short seven-song cover set by Danny Pound and the Wild Card Catalog (containing former Vitreous Humor bandmate and new LPL director Brad Allen).

Hippest sight of the set:  Matt Mozier rocking a Big Star T-shirt.

Best cover:  Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You."  (Danny owns that song every time he sings it).

Verdict:  steamy fun in the street but too bad that the temporary liquor permit couldn't allow at least a little more boozing time (this was probably the first time we'd ever heard anyone yell 'Last call' at 8:30!"  Chip:  "And I hope it's the last time.  What a terrifying thought to have to stop drinking at 8:30.").

Will the event take place next year outside the LPL's temporary location in the old Borders' building?  

Below is a nice wide-angle shot of the Last Bash and Pound's band that was loaned to us by our friends at I Heart Local Music.  Also, we'd highly recommend reading their story today on the "Open Mic Night" movie that's been filming in Lawrence this week and causing all your favorite scenesters to show up at the Bottleneck, Jackpot, and Jazzhaus at 7:00 am (at least five hours earlier than they normally do).   Find the story right here.