The Warlocks

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Depending on who you talk to, The Warlocks either hearken back to the psychedelic-era, or are the future of rock and roll. Guilty of going off on musical trips and tangents both live and in the studio, the jam band tag isn't completely off the mark, nor is it quite accurate. For their last release, The Phoenix Album, the songs were tighter, more structured and reminiscent less of the Velvet Underground and more of '60s British acts enamored by a swinging culture and liberating mind enhancers, which is probably one of the reasons they've enjoyed so most success in the UK. In the States, where bad pop and overhyped garage rock clogs the musical arteries of taste, the impact has been less substantial, but with a second go round with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club last year, the word of mouth about this crazy band with two drummers, a bunch of guitarists and sweet melodies is spreading.

The experience of interviewing the Warlocks is not unlike listening to their music. Members weave in and out unexpectedly while alcohol flows and smoke fills the room, dulling the senses. Drummer Jason Anchondo eagerly wanted to talk about the evolution of the group, and was soon joined by guitarist JC Rees, who feigned disinterest at first, only to jump in liberally throughout the conversation. It was made clear that head Warlock and musical genius Bobby Hecksher was uncomfortable doing interviews and would be unavailable -- but predictably unpredictable, the singer/guitarist wafted into the session as well.

By now, the eight- to 11-piece are holed up in an unnamed studio in the bowels of Los Angeles conjuring their third record, most likely in a place where candles generate the only light and the incense burning covers up any questionable aromas. On this night however, they were intent on clearing the air.

PopMatters: After your second tour together, what would you say is the attraction to a Warlocks/BRMC bill?

Jason Anchondo: I think what's more attractive, I'll give you two aspects: As a band aspect, both of our bands have grown since the last time we played together, and we both pretty much accomplished what we wanted to accomplish as far as establishing a fan base and our goals as far as what we want to do record label wise. It was kind of an influence on us, to grow as much as they grew. We tried to push harder and harder, and after three UK tours and going on our second European tour, being able to be comfortable and not have to worry about shit -- that's our attraction.

What attracts the fans... definitely the music. It's chaotic music, just beautiful harmonies -- you can get everything from it; gorgeous guitars, and really loud fucking drums. It just kind of grabs you. At least when I watch BRMC it grabs me, and when I'm playing in the Warlocks I'm kind of like "Wow -- I can't believe I'm fucking making this."

PM: The Phoenix Album offers tighter, quicker doses of the Warlocks, as opposed to Rise and Fall, which seemed to be more of a jam record.

JA: It's kind of weird because the first EP we did, which was self-titled, that was a real kind of Psychocandy-esque album, with tons of reverb, tons of feedback and noise -- really raw and dirty. Then we went through this whole dreamy phase, which is how Rise and Fall turned out. It turned out really pretty with a lot of come together songs, just really dreamy and long jams. We've been doing that since day one, but that was just really long pretty jams. The Phoenix, the way it's best described is just take the first album, get the second album, cut 'em in half and there you go. It's just a split of bombastic chaos and then prettiness.

PM: Were you surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response to The Phoenix Album, especially in the UK where it has just taken off?

JA: I'm fuckin' surprised at anything now. It's like "Oh wow -- we got a couple people out there in the audience!" It really blows my mind.

Guitarist JC Rees walks into the dressing room, beer and cigarette in tow, and flops down on a beat-up cushioned chair that threatens to swallow him

PM: Was it a conscious effort with The Phoenix Album to distance yourselves from the whole jam band stigma?

JA: No, it wasn't intentional or anything, it was kind of like just waking up one morning in a different mood. We wanted to do something a little bit different and try something new out. We've been doing the jams for so long, and we still do them once in a while.

JC Rees: I think the goal is to keep progressing, to keep growing and making newer and better music.

PM: A lot is made about the number of band members. It's bordered on becoming the identifying factor with the group, like, any time you see a best new bands feature, and the picture of a group has more than six guys in it, it's going to be the Warlocks. Has too much been made of that?

JA: I think a lot of people do hype up the amount of members that are in the band. The weird thing is, is that it's not that shocking to me, because I've seen bands that have had a shitload more members than we have. I mean, look at the fucking Polyphonic Spree; they've got a 30-member band, it's like, "Hey man, all my friends are gonna be in the band," which is fucking great. Look at Belle and Sebastian -- they're at least like, 12 members. But yeah, a lot of hype has been made about us with seven people being in the band, and we've had eight sometimes -- we've had 11 at points.

PM: What's the most you've ever had on stage at one time?

JA: About 11 I think... or 12. One time we had three drummers on-stage at one time. We were touring with Interpol this year, and I was talking to their drummer Sam [Fogarino], and I was like "You've gotta just play with us sometime." Sure enough, he had his kit set up, and we set up side-by-side... it was the most natural high I've ever felt in my life, looking over and seeing two other drummers next to me. It was amazing. It was just mind blowing. It was just like, "What the fuckin'-shit!? This is fucking crazy!"

Lead Warlock Bobby Hecksher attempts to enter the dressing room unnoticed, standing behind a neck-high refrigerator promoting the Red Bull energy drink

PM: [loudly] So rumor has it the first signed Warlocks contract was signed in blood?

Bobby Hecksher: That is true. It is true. It isn't a climactic as the press really loves to --

JA: Wasn't it on Halloween night at like midnight?

BH: See, I love all that shit.

PM: Is that even legal?

BH: To sign a contract in blood? Somebody else told me that. They were like, "Dude! You did it so you could get out of your contract man!" I was like, "No... it was a joke."

JA: Hey man, Tony Wilson fuckin' wrote his whole contracts for Joy Division in blood.

BH: But then I got really into it, and just kept cutting and cutting and making pictures and grossing everybody out. I drew a skull, and my name and took my time...

JA: And thus began "the curse."

BH: I'm so glad you're stoned while you're doing this interview -- it's gonna be great.

PM: I knew you would love that, you were probably thinking that it was safe to come up here now.

JCR: (in a faux wasted voice) Get 'em really stoned!

PM: We were still talking about the number of members in the band. Does it ever become too much, to keep it together live?

JCR: It's a recipe for mud for sure, but there's a chemistry, and kind of a psychic connection between everyone where we're somehow able to work around steppin' on each others toes.

BH: There's definitely shouting matches about disciplining, keeping certain levels -- we have to be totally aware that there's a lot of us, and it goes for timing as well. You have to be a little bit more functional than you think for a psychedelic rock and roll band to keep everybody all together to perform.

JA: It's not that much of a pain in the ass as it would seem to be, but we just gotta remember to keep all the guitars at the same level, and make sure that Danny (Hole) and I are comfortable with each other's sound. Just like drum shit, cause he's on the left -- or he's on the right, I'm on the left and uh... sorry, I'm thinkin' of the audience.

BH: Thinking of the audience!

JA: But Mar [bassist Bobby Martine] is usually on my side so if he wants it too loud I'll bitch, cause I'm sittin' next to the bass amp and all that. It's always good, I never follow any of that anyway. I always listen to Bobby [Hecksher] playing guitar, he keeps me in time -- that's how I keep my groove going.

PM: Does it ever become a comfort thing -- especially with two drummers, like, "If I fuck up, there's somebody there to pick up my slack."

JA: No, because I never wanna fuck up. That's seriously the thing: I never want to fuck up. If I fuck up, I'm gonna hate myself later on that evening. Like "Jesus Christ!," and smacking myself in the head.

BH: We are really hard on ourselves, and try to be as precise as possible.

PM: Is there ever too much made of the Brian Jonestown Massacre connection to the Warlocks?

BH: Absolutely.

Hecksher exits the dressing room area.

JA: Yes there is! There's a huge thing made of the BJM connection because of certain things, but...

JCR: We're not a retro band... we're a future band.

An uncomfortable silence takes over the room in the wake of JC Rees "future band" comment.

JA: Scratch that one dude! "We're not a retro band we're a future band?" Make sure it's clear that I didn't say that. We love BJM though man, we love all their fuckin' songs. I've heard their new record, and it's actually not retro.

PM: As far as rock goes, it seems like the Warlocks are almost anti-garage rock, going against the trend.

JA: We're just a fuckin' band that likes to play the music that we're playing. I wouldn't say we're a throwback band, I wouldn't say we're anti-garage. We all love garage and classic, kind of psychedelic music -- but we're not either of those.

JCR: We've never played in a garage.

JA: No, we never have... but we played in a placed called The Garage.

JCR: Garage rock is boring and predictable and I think we're trying not to be that.