TWITTERVIEW: Fitz & The Tantrums

So I posed 3 questions to Fitz from Fitz & the Tantrums (whose new album Pickin’ Up the Pieces is available on i-Tunes, their website & Amazon) on Twitter today & here is the transcript from that interview:

Me: The LA Times said you have a clearly derived style from bands like the Temptations. It seems to me that it is more like the 5th Dimension. Do you find it difficult being a nontraditional band that people have to find a band that they feel you sound like?

Fitz: I love the 5th dimension, we never set out listening to one specific band trying to emulate them. I think if you are a music lover and a fan of that period of music you can’t help but be influenced by all those bands. Their songs are timeless and in the subconcious of all of us.

Me: Your band seems to be on the precipice of something big. Do you feel that your music is ageless & a revival of sorts is occurring or do you feel that you have a new style combined from several older ones?

Fitz: People will always make comparisons, you can’t stop them and so far we’ve gotten everything from soul greats to ABC to Daryl Hall I take them all as a compliment. It definitely feels like we are on the precipice of something. We just did an in store performance last night at Amoeba Records (Los Angeles) and it was packed, we had a ton of people there. From all ages, teenagers, 20 and 30 something…a guy that drove down from SF to only catch the last three songs, but he was still so happy. We almost sold out of the CD and vinyl last night and the label had to rush another shipment over to them today. So yeah it definitely feels like something is happening.. Our music has a timeless quality to it, obviously, but we didn’t want to simple do a pastiche/Carbon copy. We wanted to push the sound forward. Not all the melodies or production are traditional or “True” to the genre.

Me: I grew up listening to Art Laboe oldies every Sun where people dedicated songs to someone that had a sound similar to yours. That was pop then but wouldn’t be pop today. Fitz, you said you have a great respect for pop. Do you find that old/new pop converge in your music?

Fitz: My definition of POP is great songwriting, it’s a song you hear once and are singing along. I think people are responding to the writing and musicianship. Everyone in the band are incredible talents in their own right. Our live show has been really progressing and we have been getting a ridiculous response and turn outs. We put on a SHOW. Noelle and I sing and dance our asses off and we created these ripping knock down soul instrumental sections where the farfisa player is tearing your ears off or the sax player is putting it all out there. But to get back to your question I hope this is a convergence of classic songwriting with new pop elements woven in. Thanks for the interview and I hope we get to meet at one of these shows!

Moneygrabber – Fitz & the Tantrums

A little behind on Fitz & the Tantrums? Then here are some things to whet your appetite. Get out there & buy that album it is phenomenal. It’s currently in the top 30 albums on the i-Tunes charts. Check out their tour dates here. Don’t forget to follow The De Mello Theory on Facebook & Twitter for regular updates. Also vote for them on Stryker from KROQ’s Locals only show site. And here is the premier of their video for their new song “Moneygrabber”: