What's Up! Magazine

The cool, eclectic Fruit Bats, fresh off of a UK tour invade WWU on Jan. 21 in what promises to be a memorable event. The Chicago/Portland based act is with the great Northwest’s SubPop Records.

Boris Budd: The band just returned from an extensive European tour. Give us some highlights and maybe a lowlight from those dates.

Fruit Bats: The highlight was just finally being there. It’s been a while as a band having never crossed the pond. But I’m gonna have to say Lisbon was the highlight. Simply because none of us had ever been there, and we all fell deeply in love with the place; it’s one of those rare places that instantly enchants.

The lowlight? Being stuck in a snowstorm trying to cross the English Channel. One of the biggest delays in the history of the Euro-chunnel and ferries. Although we had fun; we sat in the van, drank beer, had snowball fights with a busload of Dutch high schoolers.

BB: Fruit Bats are known for their engaging live performances. Describe the special feeling you get when connecting with an audience.

FB: That feeling is hard to describe. There’s nothing cooler, though, for my money. Even if it’s just 10 people. Much cooler than playing to 10,000 who could care less.

BB: Compare the process that the group un-took during the recording of The Ruminant Band as opposed to your other records.

FB: Way more of a group process. It was the fastest I’ve ever done a record from start to finish. I think because we were all working together. Plus I was in a hurry to finish the thing.

BB: What insights have you guys acquired in regard to the music industry after being on a label like Sub Pop for almost a decade?

FB: There are no rules. There is no strategy. Sometimes you’re lucky. Sometimes you’re smart. I have no clue. It’s a great mystery. I’ve seen so many people come and go and succeed and fail and the same story never gets repeated.

BB: Describe the thrill of playing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

FB: It’s really fun, but also the ultimate anti-climax to play on TV. It takes weeks to plan, all day to put together, and then it’s done in three minutes, which really feels like 20 seconds. But I like being on the TV. It’s a weird little thrill to be on that box.

BB: How has the Fruit Bats sound evolved over the course of the bands career?

FB: The first record came from such a kitchen sink, home recordist angle. I had no idea how to arrange things for a band. It was a nightmare trying to play those songs live on the 2001-02 tour. I enjoy making simpler rock music right now. The band has electric guitars and drums and bass. I’m into that.

BB: The group is listed as having Chicago and Portland as home bases. How does that work?

FB: Pretty easy. When you tour as much as us, you only need to meet up for rehearsal early on, then the rest is on auto pilot. I spend a lot on plane tickets, though.

BB: Who would Fruit Bats name as their main influences?

FB: 1960′s Topanga Canyon Country Rock, British Wizard Folk, 70′s Yacht Rock, any alchemical mash ups of traditional meets cosmic.