poppedmusic

Tijuana Bibles

Words & Photos: Elena Katrina 

Sometimes bands can fall off your radar and throw themselves right back in when you least expect it. Not to say that I never thought Tijuana Bibles would be at SXSW but as they’d not been in my field of view for a while I was really happy to see that this year they were here – and so when an interview request landed in my inbox I jumped at it with glee. So here you have… SXSW With Tijuana Bibles.

Tell us a bit about your band and how you got to be at SXSW this year? 

Tony: Well basically we’re recording a load of demos, gonna be recording our debut album pretty much as soon as we get back so we were sort of caught on the hop a bit with the invite because we weren’t really expecting it.

Mikey: We were up for it, you know what I mean. It’s we got an invite and it was just it’s not something you can knock back really.

Tony: We were quite surprised. We put out one single last year basically and all in preparation to take some time to do the demos and then we got the invite and it was like OH MY GOD! QUICK!

We’ve just been touring and touring and touring constantly so I’d like to think that we’re seen as a proper live band that goes out and does it. We’ve been out all across Europe a few times and this is our first time in the States so we hope it’s the start of the next chapter for us. Hopefully once we get the new album out.

Is this your first show tonight (Wednesday) at Austin? 

Tony: Yep! First on American soil.  I’m starting to get the pre-gig jitters. Feels like a tumble dyer in your stomach, filled with butterflies. Squashed butterflies. So basically it’s sort of akin to the feeling that I had when we played the very very first gig. It sort of feels like that. Sort of like we’re starting again almost because it’s new territory.

I always do this before the gig. Ten minutes before the gig you’re like, that’s it you get in the zone. I can not wait. Can not wait.

Are there any other bands that you want to watch while you’re over here?

Tony: Yeah yeah… Albert Hammond Junior. Shame, I love Shame so I’m really looking forward to that.

Mikey: Plus tonight (weds) our first showcase is at Hotel Vegas but the full night is a Scottish showcase, a Glasgow showcase. It’s weird, we come all the way out here and we’re playing a gig with all our friends. It’s crazy but … so we’re looking forward to seeing all their bands as well.

What bands back home do you want to tell that they should come out to SXSW next year? 

Tony: Everyone…..   The Voodoos….

Mikey: For me, a band that are doing very very well back home, Neon Waltz. They need to come over here.

Tony: Yeah they’re a really great band.

What’s the next step for Tijuana Bibles after SXSW? 

Tony: Straight into the studio and just record. Because we always get itchy feet and just want to tour all the time. So, it’s sorta, we’re gonna have to have some sorta self imposed exile for maybe a month or two. Get the tracks done and then I probably have one eye on SXSW already for next year.

Plenty of touring next year and toward the end of the year I would think and releasing the album, possibly around this time next year or just before and then come out here and do our thing.

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