I had the chance to interview Hala and Baywaves after they played at SXSW to inquire about their experience at the festival and gain some insight about some of their music. All of the guys I talked to were super nice and gave some interesting answers.
First up is Ian Ruhala of Hala after his show at Spiderhouse during the Biker Gang Booking showcase.
Caroline Janes: You said youāre from Detroit?
Ian Ruhala: Yeah, Music Park, kind of a suburb of Detroit. I go to school in Detroit.
CJ: So youāre in college, what year are you?
IR: Technically a senior, I think. But Iāve been taking it very slow.
CJ: Are you a music major?
IR: No, Communication Studies. Itās somewhat applicable. My guitarist Austin, has the same degree and he minored in Spanish.
CJ: Do you have a minor?
IR: No, Iām doing very bare bones, but I still value my education like everyone should.
CJ: Is this your first SXSW?
IR: It is.
CJ: Whatās been your favorite thing so far?
IR: We played a house show on Wednesday, that was really cool. It was on Laguna Street or Laguna Drive. My girlfriend hooked us up with that and it was really cool. I played a solo set at the Embassy Suites and Cee Lo Green was there!
CJ: No way, did he see you?
IR: He came during the first song, stayed the whole set and had drinks with his friends, his entourage. It was amazing.
CJ: Whatās been your favorite thing in Austin so far, is this your first time here?
IR: It is, yeah. Iāve been to Houston. I got the guitar that Iām playing in Houston because they have a big left-handed guitar store there. Yeah, I play backwards. Yeah, first time in Austin. Itās pretty much what I expected in a way. Just like, a lot of people like me, a lot of people that cuff their jeans and skateboard and stuff like that. But, itās still cool. Itās quaint.
CJ: Whatās the most Texan thing youāve witnessed in Austin thus far?
IR: A plethora of boots.
CJ: What have you been listening to lately?
IR: This Minnie Riperton song, Loving You, itās really beautiful. Lot of McCartney, Beatles stuff. Like, the anthology stuff thatās a little more of the rarities I guess. Iāve been interested in that. 60s music, 70s music, soft rock and Twin Peaksātheyāre my favorite new band. I always try to sprinkle some influence from them into songs.
CJ: Who are your biggest influences?
IR: Probably Paul McCartney and I like Tennis, I like Alaina Moore a lot. I love her voice. And I like their production and they record everything on their own. And then I donāt know, Mark Fidrych. He was a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers in the late 70s and heās the only athlete to ever be on the cover of Rolling Stone, so heās actually a rock star.
CJ: Do you do that as well?
IR: Yeah, Iām not like sold into it because of like the bedroom pop aura. I want to pigeonhole myself to that situation. But yeah, I record at home.
CJ: Is it just you?
IR: Yeah, itās just me.
CJ: Describe your sound using a non-musical word. Like an inanimate object or a feeling.
IR: Thatās tough. I try to do songs that I think are soft. I try to do songs I think are punky, songs that areāa mixed bag. Chex Mix.
CJ: So you sing about forties. Do you have a favorite forty?
IR: Uh, Budweiser. Definitely Budweiser.
CJ: Oh, Mickeyās all the way.
IR: I donāt really like Mickeyās! Thatās a lot of art students in Detroit that drink Mickeyās, that like swear by it.
CJ: Youāve sung about voting for Bernie, are you gonna vote for him in 2020?
IR: Iām really into OāRourke a lot because he has liberal views but heās moderate in the fact that thereās two sides to the point. I donāt know, I like, I love, Bernie. I think his message is very pure and one that we should all take a page from his book, but I just donāt know if the country is ready for it. Thatās a sad thing to say but in these polarized times itās like we need someone who can bring us back to the center and mend some things that are struggling right now.
Baywaves performing at Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX. Photo by Caroline Janes.
After their performance at Hole in the Wall on Guadalupe Street during the Howdy Gals showcase, Baywaves bassist, Fran, and drummer, Marco, took a moment to talk with me.
Caroline Janes: You said youāre from Madrid, Spain?
Fran: Yes!
CJ: And this is your first SX?
Fran: Second one actually, we played last year.
CJ: Have you toured in the States at all?
Fran: No, we were here last year and we played SX and then this year we just flew [to] New York. So we played two shows in New York and then weāre here.
CJ: Whatās been your favorite thing about SX or Austin so far?
Fran: Weāre standing like two blocks away from our favorite thing which is In-N-Out Burger!
Marco: Fast food, thatās a whole different thing.
Fran: Itās really good!
Shortly after wrapping up the interview I spotted the guys of Baywaves in line at In-N-Out.
CJ: Not so much fast food in Spain?
Marco: Yeah–
Fran: We donāt really eat that in Spain so when we get here we have it all.
Marco: We donāt have diversity in Spain.
Fran: Then yesterday, the thing is last year when we were here we played so many shows that we didnāt get the chance to see any bands. Yesterday we played just one show in the morning. We saw like five bands.
CJ: Who was your favorite?
Fran: First we saw Oscar Jerome, then Jerry Paperā¦
Marco: Crumb
Fran: Ah yeah they were so good, we saw them again today because they were so good yesterday. And then we saw a guy called Paul Cherry.
Marco: So shout out Paul Cherry!
Fran: He was the best show yesterday!
CJ: Whatās the most Texan thing yāall have seen so far?
Fran: The first time I came here [was] with another band three years ago. I had breakfast tacos for the first time with like potato and something. [That was] the biggest culture shock Iāve had in my life like having this burrito for breakfast when we usually have like fruit in Spain.
CJ: What have yāall been listening to?
Marco: The bands that we saw yesterday. We were really into them like before.
Fran: Thereās this band called Squid, theyāre from the UK. Theyāre really good. What have we been listening to? A bunch of stuff! Itās hard to pick. When we were in New York, we bought some CDs and we bought the second Connan Mockasin CD so weāve been listening to that in the car lately.
CJ: Describe your sound using a non-musical word like an inanimate object or a feeling.
Marco: I would say like, chill but rhythmic but thatās about music.
Fran: I remember we answered this kind of question once, it was like the feeling you get when youāre about to fall on a couch, but you know thereās a couch behind you but youāre still in the air, but youāre about to [sit].
Thank you Ian, Fran, and Marco for chatting with me! Follow Hala and Baywaves on twitter. Hala is currently on tour with Hellogoodbye and will be back in Austin on April 27.
By Caroline JanesMusic Journalist I chatted with Paul Cherry and Herās after their shows at the Get a Grip showcase at The Parish on 6th Street. Caroline Janes: Where are you from? Paul Cherry: Iām from Detroit suburbs. CJ: Are you still located there? PC: I live in Chicago. CJ: Is this your first SXSW? PC: I did one last year. CJ: How did it compare? PC: This oneās more […]
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