If Los Angeles indie-pop band Sure Sure isn’t on your radar already, they’re about to be. The quartet’s debut album, released earlier this year, has already been followed up with the band’s newest single. With no plans to slow down, Sure Sure is embarking on their first national tour this fall. Atlas chatted with the band via email ahead of their show at Valley Bar in Phoenix, AZ, on October 14.
Atlas: Can you tell the origin story of the band? Was it an instant connection with everyone in terms of musical taste/direction or was it a collaborative progression?
Sure Sure: At that time, we were teenagers living in New York City. To save on rent, we took up residence in the sewers, where a man named Hamato Yoshi took us under his wing. One day we accidentally fell into some glowing mutagenic goo, whereupon we transformed into our current form: Sure Sure. Then, Hamato Yoshi AKA Master Splinter, a genius multi-instrumentalist who specializes in drums, bass, guitar and synths, put us through a rigorous musical training program. He also trained us in ninjutsu. We also love pizza.
Atlas: What’s the songwriting process like for you guys?
SS: Usually Chris & Charlie will come in with some kind of melodic//harmonic//lyrical idea, or Kevin will come in with a spicy groove, and then we start to build the song together. Then we get stuck and go to the park, where we throw a Frisbee and wonder what we should eat for dinner. Stir fry? Pasta? Lentils? One thing is for sure: there will be a salad on the side.
Atlas: What influences/inspirations do you all draw on when writing songs?
SS: It’s all over the place. Usually a combination of what we’re listening to//reading. Lately we’ve been listening to Juana Molina, LCD Soundsystem, Adrianne Lenker, Big Star. We’re also inspired by Pluto’s fight to reinstate itself as a planet.
Atlas: Your debut album is out and it’s fantastic! What was the process like making that and how will you bring it to life on tour this fall?
SS: We made most of those songs within about 3 months last year; we were just recording all the time at our house, it came out quite naturally, and the songs tended to favor more traditional instrumentation. This fall we’re actually going to be playing mostly new songs and pre-album songs, since we played a lot of the album on our last spring tour. But we’ll still be playin’ the hits plus maybe some album deep cuts like Foreign Room and/or Information Machine.
The live show is gonna be nuts this fall… this is the first time we’re gonna have our own sound guy (Steve!) and he’s making sure it’s gonna be a huge immersive sound experience.
Atlas: Speaking of tour, what cities are you most excited to see?
SS: Austin is super fun. Can’t wait to go back. Phoenix & Salt Lake City & Chicago are always lit. Also Seattle and the PNW in general because it’s so wet up there and LA is so dry so it’s like going to an alien planet where there’s green stuff somehow growing on literally every surface.
Atlas: What would be the ultimate dream tour lineup for you?
SS: Sure Sure arena tour, show at 9PM, done by 10:30PM, in bed by 11PM.
Atlas: Finally, what’s the master plan for Sure Sure? What do you guys have in the works?
SS: Record the next album, go to the park before the sun goes down, tour this great nation, repeat.
Sure Sure is playing Valley Bar in Phoenix, AZ, on October 14. Tickets are available here.
