Denver’s Gauntlet Hair has been on our radar for quite some time. We were immediately impressed with the alt-noise rock duo’s self-titled debut LP. Last month Craig Nice and Andy Rauworth released their follow up album Stills to critical acclaim (not just from us!) and naturally we were super excited to get a chance to talk to the band about the evolution of their sound, how moving from Denver to Chicago affected the release and how the live show comes to life over two LPs. Scott had a chat to Andy last week, here’s how it went down.
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Scott Daniel Armstrong: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! We’ve been streaming Stills in the office on very high rotation! You must be very excited at this point!
Andy Rauworth: Anytime! Glad to hear it!
SDA: First thing’s first, can you give us an idea of how you both met and started working creatively on the Gauntlet Hair project following the grindcore material?
AR: Craig and I met in high school when we were 15 and started playing together soon after- but Gauntlet Hair didn’t develop until we were about 20. Post crust-punk/grindcore days. I think we gave our project a name when we knew that it was no longer a directly influenced band– when it became its own entity.
SDA: How quickly were you both drawn to the big reverb/looping sound that we heard on the debut LP?
AR: That sound developed due to the limitations of being a two-piece. We wanted to sound huge, but had no desire to add any more members. So reverb pedals, loops, and delay became essential. A lot of people think that we incorporated those effects because we were following some sort of rising trend during that time… But it was really just out of necessity. There was nothing pleasant or psychedelic about it. I remember the early recordings being these blown out, super maximal, and very repetitious chants. Listening back to it was exhausting. It reminded me of someone trying to drive a nail into concrete. It didn’t make much sense. But in retrospect, I think it was a pretty epic sound and a good starting point for us.
SDA: I read somewhere that you made the move from Denver back to Chicago before creating this new record Stills . What gave you the inspiration to pack up and move and how did this all affect what we hear on the album?
AR: We just felt that it was the right time to leave. Denver started to become a bit stagnant for us and we didn’t want to begin writing another album in that sort of environment. However, I don’t think we anticipated the move being so unsettling. I figured in moving home we would find stability… but it seemed to just invite more obstacles for us. I won’t go into details, but a slew of personal/financial/emotional problems ensued. It’s hard to say how that translated into our writing, but it most definitely had an effect.
SDA: Let’s talk about the differences between your debut LP and this one. Was it a preconceived idea that this might be a lighter, less maximal sounding album or did this develop as an organic shift?
AR: We did come into this writing process with the intention of pulling back a bit and keeping an open mind to more minimal structures. But I don’t think that it dictated any specific direction from us. We’re not very good at keeping to one specific idea. Or rather, we try not to. What you hear on this album is fragmented time and sporadic thought. It’s not suppose to be some cohesive body of work or high-concept album, because that would be a total misrepresentation of where we were at personally when writing it.
SDA: What can your fans expect from the upcoming live shows that undoubtedly will feature material from both albums side by side?
AR: For now, there won’t be much of a drastic change in our set. Yes, new material, but we’re still easing into more diverse ways of playing it. It’s just loud for now.
SDA: How has the feedback been on the Australian front so far? Do you foresee any opportunities to bring the live show down?
AR: I haven’t really heard much feedback from Australia as of yet. We would of course love to play out there, but it ain’t a cheap flight. Besides, those decisions are usually in the hands of the almighty label!
SDA: So far it looks like most of the shows you’ve played have been within the USA, where have your favorite shows and crowds come together so far?
AR: New York has been pretty good to us. We’ve played there more than anywhere else, I think. But as far as “favorite crowds” go, I’d say Denver. Always a warm welcome.
SDA: I read somewhere that you have an affinity for collecting old Arnold Schwarzenegger films, if you both had to agree on a favorite, which would it be and why?
AR: Commando . Craig and I have collectively seen that movie more than any other. I think there’s a story behind that, but it isn’t a very interesting one.
SDA: You’ve said in the past that you tend to listen to less music whilst recording so as to avoid any replication or heavy influence – what are you listening to now that the recording process is over?
AR: Nothing yet, really. Still need more time to decompress.
SDA: Thanks again for taking the time. Hopefully we’ll be seeing you down here at some stage for some shows!
AR: Our pleasure!
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Gauntlet Hair’s second LP Stills is out now!
WORDS BY Scott Armstrong
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