ChitChat - With Aston Valladares from TOWNS
INTERVIEW BY: EMERALD VIOLET
Your new track 98 was dropped back in July, can you elaborate on what the track is about and what inspired you to write it?
98 was a pretty special track for us because I think it was the first ‘covid’ song we wrote in terms of using all that time off to be productive. When restrictions eased we would spend every Friday writing music together and ‘98’ was the first song to come of it. The song is basically a love song aimed at those people we love who sometimes aren’t the best at receiving a compliment or two. I think to some extent I’m really bad at receiving praise so this song is nice to have as a reminder to just say Thankyou and smile.
Continuing on with the topic of inspiration, what bands or artists played a big part in influencing and inspiring you to get into music and create?
There is a huge abundance of artists that inspire us. I think going back to the start, we started playing music because of bands like
Blink 182 and Green day and then we started TOWNS because of bands like citizen and title fight. Currently we’re inspired by a lot of music we sort of pull from everywhere even if it’s not so apparent in our music but looking forward there’s some elements of Kenny Hoopla, Phoebe Bridgers, Porches, Hunny, Pink Pantheress just to name a few.
When touring, what is the main thing you look forward to?
The obvious answer is the show, which is true because that’s the endgame of touring to play shows and gain fans, so yes the shows are always the absolute highlight but personally I think one of my main highlights it’s getting to spend time with Dan on a flight or a drive or sitting in a room where we have no responsibility for a bit where we can talk about dumb stuff and make jokes, sometimes it’s hard to do that in day to day life without feeling guilty about not being productive but if you’re on the road you’re always productive cause you’re going somewhere and the stuff that happens in between is just part of it
What is something you’re most proud of?
I’m proud of so much, it took me a really long time to accept that but TOWNS has done everything 13 year old me dreamed of and more. I still think the fact we’ve played to an audience interstate is massive, we both remind ourselves how special it is to have created such a loving fan base around the country.
I can speak for both of us when I say we’re really proud of ourselves for simply putting out music and supporting each other through the horrible time that the music industry has had because of Covid.
Can you tell us what your favourite song you have written is and why?
My favourite is an unreleased song that was actually the second song we wrote in lockdown, i can’t explain it but it’s just really emotional and I’m proud of who we worked with on it and the layers and everything it just is so much fun to play.
But it’s honestly gonna have to be 98 currently, that song is so much fun to play, it was so much fun to write and I just feel like it’s the perfect way to describe our sound as a band.
If you could tour with anyone who would it be and why?
It’s always been a Personal dream to play a show with Tom Delonge no matter what project he’s in (blink, angels and airwaves or boxcar) but I think Dan and I would be in agreeable in saying that touring with wallows would be huge for us, they were super inspiring to us during the start of our band and I feel like we can stay hopeful that we can achieve that one day! (But also foo fighters or someone massive would be sick)
Do you have any plans to release more music soon?
Yes!! So much planning and excitement coming ready to explode into the world! Just crossing the Ts and dotting the I’s.
We have a new EP ready to release just so many cool ideas to make sure it’s as exciting for everyone else as it is for us and our team!
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions and congratulations on the nomination for the SA music awards!!
2021 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS
BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Presented by Alpha Box & Dice)
Slowmango – Thairaide (Kaspar Schmidt Mumm & Emmaline Zanelli)
Teenage Joans – Something About Being Sixteen (Jack Bielby & Thomas Schaefer)
TOWNS – Swimming (Thomas Schaefer & Jack Bielby)
Neofix – Freedom (Neofix)
Glowing – Poppy (Harry Nathan)
BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)
Bermuda Bay
Teenage Joans
The Empty Threats
TOWNS
The Mondays
ROCK (Presented by Jive)
Druid Fluids
LILY ROSE
Oscar The Wild
TOWNS
Wolf & Cub
