If avant-garde noise-rock is your thing, then Berlin-based mavericks Palm Squirrel will be right up your street.
Ahead of their Thursday night performance at Basement Bash, indieBerlin speaks with the band – an exciting new trio on the cusp of releasing their debut record through Baby Satan Records.
indieBerlin: Tell us a little bit about your musical background.
Palm Squirrel: Generally, if I’m at the front of the stage Paul will be the musical background, but this can change depending on the stage layout.
iB: How did you come up with the name Palm Squirrel?
PS: Had a list of names, this seemed like the worst one.
iB: How did you get together as a band?
PS: Dave and Stix were distracted from their Wednesday afternoon tea by the loud DIY coming from up stairs (a couple at the time, they wanted to integrate a routine of appreciation in which they do nice things for each other on a regular basis). The sound of chain saws and jackhammers was unbearable and Tweez went up to beat the living hell out of whom ever was destroying such a wonderful treat. It turned out to be Axel trying out his new guitar pedals, he apologised, stopped and joined them, and it was over this afternoon tea that Palm Squirrel was started.
iB: Tell us something about yourself that you always wanted to say but no one has ever asked you yet.
PS: Big beats are the best, get high all the time.
iB: How does the songwriting process work for you / in your band?
PS: If we find some boring we keep doing it until it becomes interesting, we then have a fight about the direction of the band and all quit to start solo projects. We reconvene the following day in tears at our mediocre solo songwriting abilities and try finish what we started, all the time knowing we’ll have to do it all again when we write the next song.
iB: Where do you get your inspiration from?
PS:: Pagan rituals and needing to pee, this last one seems to make use play faster.
iB: What was your biggest stage fuck-up?
PS: Turning up without instruments, but fortunately we had spoons from our tomato cuppa soup that we keep on hand for emergency bloody mary’s. We started a skiffle set instead, the place was LIT!
iB: What was the nicest compliment you once got?
PS: “I don’t understand it, hated it!” – Head of Justin Bieber Fan Club
iB: Do you dream in colour or black and white?
PS: Just Black.
iB: Do you see your songs in colour or in black and white?
PS: Is Grey a colour?
