Hitchhiker’s Guide to Surfing

When I first heard recent Vice Records signing Japanese Motors I thought their influences had overblown and outshone their own ideas. I thought their Strokes mimicry and Libertines-esque swaggery had overtaken their own sunbleached, beer-bloated, surf-worshipping California gold sound and it had all been usurped for their take on utopia. Then I read their bio. “Most bands from here are trying to sound like they’re from London or New York,” guitarist Nolan Hall is quoted as saying, “we embrace where we’re from”. True to themselves, Japanese Motors’ simplistic, surfy rock and roll is a modern translation of ’60s euphoria, splashing in the waves and trying to impress girls. When I interviewed singer/guitarist Alex Knost, also a famously inventive pro surfer, he’s hanging out at his friend’s place, jamming on guitars and “discussing the importance of cliché rock”.

There’s little out there about Japanese Motors, so I start by asking what the deal is. “I believe it was fate,” Knost says cryptically. “Nolan and I have been jamming with a revolving door of bass players and drummers – the current line up feels like home. We can’t wait to all record the new, new record together. It takes magic for four guys to come together. Anyone can play on a record. But to discuss ideas and feel ease and comfort from a band mate is the only light at the end of a rock and roll tunnel. It’s purely romantic. Nolan and I have known each other for ten years, Andrew was the best drummer we knew, and as soon as he put all of his eggs in the Japanese Motors basket we were glad to have him. Our newest member is Dan, he’s a real sweetheart. We met him when his old band opened up for us in Long Beach. We knew we needed him, and so now we can really be on the level and never bite our own tongues.”

When asked why the name Japanese Motors, and if there is a vehicular fetish involved, Knost is demure. “We are not gonna give that away. To do so would be like talking about our parents on our first date… we wanna at least wait till we have sex.” It’s not just sex that’s on the Motors’ minds, it would seem that now more than ever the failing economy and its deranged relative, the oil industry, along with its seedy cousin, car production, are having an effect on just about everyone. California is rather famous for its inaugural fleet of well-oiled machines, but is there a prominent car culture in it? “I dunno, most people drive, personally I think the big oil companies are fucking our economy, cause there are few public transportation options in California, and there are shitloads of people,” Knost says.

Luckily the music scene brings more optimism. It’s “amazing”, Knost says. “Some of the most inspiring stuff for our band comes from our hometown, there’s easily ten bands that rule beyond most financially successful bands in the mainstream.” Recommended are “the Sweet Sweet Things, The Growlers, Delta Spirit, The Flying Saucers, My Pet Saddle, etc. We also love The Black Lips, they aren’t from here, they are from Atlanta but we love them and look up to them like an older brother.”

That of course is the same Black Lips who unceremoniously played the Kings Arms in Auckland last year. After an introduction of spit, vomit and other glorious bodily fluids purported to be shared amongst band members and crowd alike, I stood back cautiously and watched on throughout their rollicking, surprisingly country-esque set. The most offending matter omitted was some shared spit between guitarists. It was still pretty funny, though. But just like Japanese Motors’ built-up “blow outs”, there is little else but sunny surfy songs and a slightly bent sense of humour dwelling within the band. The offending matter instead here is the largely made up press kit. When asked if Knost could detail some of the “insane, all night blow outs” that riddle their gigs, Knost admits “That’s a lie somebody made up in marketing. We just wanna have a good time and play as much as we can.”

And while Knost is a revered surfing legend, an RVCA pro and inventive foot stepper on the board, it seems the band comes first. Now, anyway. It should be mentioned that Japanese Motors are coming out to Australia and New Zealand to play the Vice Christmas parties in December. So will they be ripping/shredding/tearing/[insert surfy slang here] on our shores? “We will surf, but I’m not really amazing… I’m ok on small waves on shitty boards but I’m no ASP pro. But we will be out there washing off the night,” Knost says.

Do the band have any other hobbies? “Nolan (Hall, guitarist) is a great photographer, Andrew (Atkinson, drummer) can paint well, and has a knack for quoting movies, Dan (Michicoff, bass/vocals) is, fuck, I dunno but Dan is a kick, he’s like a thespian.”

In the end, though, Knost has some words of enlightenment he’d like to share: “The end is fear, record collections are you measuring your dick, the only in is out and if you think you’re in you’re probably not. The closest thing to reality is now or never, so get off your ass, put down your bong and start trippin’. We commend you.” I commend Japanese Motors for thinking outside of the box a little, and I commend Vice for once again signing a fun, interesting band.

Listen to Japanese Motors on the last Redbull Studio Live Session this year
on the bNet, 3.30pm December 12 (NZ time).

Japanese Motors – Single Fins and Safety Pins: MP3
Japanese Motors – Regrets A Paradise: MP3
Japanese Motors – Myspace
Vice Records – Website

Posted by Sarah Gooding under California