We constantly feature notable rising artists in the alternative scene on the verge of success. Meet this week’s artist: Raw Fabrics
Raw Fabrics are an L.A.-based trio of 21-year-olds with an armload of anthemic songs that mix the driving bass lines of modern dance-punk bands with production sheen of modern radio bands (via BuzzBands LA)
We recently had the chance to talk with lead vocalist and guitarist Jack B. Franco about Raw Fabrics’ origins, inspirations, and all things alternative culture.
Green Day - International Super hits; Blink 182 - Enema of the State; Nirvana - Nevermind
What are your fondest musical memories?
As a band, sharing the stage with Weezer, and Alt J was insane. Definitely a cool moment. It’s hard to remember that many specific moments about listening to music because I listen to music all the time, everyday.
Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener?
Lately I’ve really been into Beastie Boys, music from New York. Anything that is aggressively genre bending.
What were your musical/band backgrounds prior to Raw Fabrics? How has this group differed from your previous projects?
I came from more of a punk rock background. I grew up on The Clash, Sex Pistols and classics like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. My musical inspiration hasn’t changed necessarily, I just listen to more types of music and more artists now. All of us in the band have a similar background musically growing up in the 90’s/ 00’s and being exposed to Green Day and Nirvana at an early age.
This group is different because we try to make our creative decisions based off of stuff we love.
You are quite of interesting group in terms of creative output and collaboration. Even though you’re based in LA, you come from completely different backgrounds (bassist Justus Dixon from Central California, and drummer Jon Fredrik from Norway), you recorded your EP in London, and consider yourselves quiet, genreless and not tied to a specific scene. Do you consider your openness as the source of innovation and creativity in sculpting your sound? Does this punk-troubadour approach helps you remain authentic to what you want Raw Fabrics to be? How do you think your sound has allowed you to express yourself?
I think not being accepted into any cliques of bands/artists helps us because we really don’t care what anyone else is doing. We just do what we do. The band is how I express everything in my life. I feel like being an artist you have to be willing to do that. At the very least it makes for more interesting music.
What is your creative process like? How do you approach the writing process?
I think creativity comes at the most random unexpected times, when you’re not “trying” to write a song or come up with an idea. I like to let ideas come naturally, I find it’s easier and makes for better songs.
Raw Fabrics is a very visual focused band. You have described yourselves as being “artists first” and “animated” in nature. Can you describe to us your visual/performance aesthetic? How do you come up with the ideas/aesthetics for your videos and what is the whole process like?
We use visuals and imagery in two different ways. On one hand we use it to tell important stories using pop art-esque imagery like in our video for ‘Down the Drain’. But also it’s fun for us. Which is also an important message we want to spread - life doesn’t have to be serious all the time. (Like having a projection of a Mike Tyson fight while we are playing live)
As an indie artist in the digital age, social media and streaming are essential tools for marketing and promotion. What do you think about online music sharing, both as a music fan and as a musician? How do you think social media/music streaming services impacts the rising musician?
I like where music sharing is at, you get to listen to more music easier and faster than in the past. Social media can be used in a cool/fun way, I don’t have any issues with it unless you’re only on twitter to vent or complain haha.
You guys recorded the Gold Handcuffs EP with producer Stephen Street, of The Smiths, Blur, and Kaiser Chiefs fame. Can you describe to us how that process and collaboration was like?
It worked really well. When we went to him, we had a clear vision of our sound and our songs. He has an immense amount of experience and he really helped us find space in our music for each element that we wanted. He’s a really nice, calm, which is nice to have in the studio atmosphere.
What is your dream collaboration and why?
My dream collaboration would either be with Drake to see how he works in the studio as an artist or with Justice to collaborate more on production
What are you currently working on? Any new projects?
We are working on a new EP, 2nd Ep, following the release of Gold Handcuffs EP that we put out earlier in the fall.
Finally, a question we have been asking all of artists lately: which songs are you currently obsessed with? What new acts do you recommend to our listeners? What bands do you believe are your best kept secret in the indie community?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Django Django’s first record lately. Peace is a cool band from the UK.
Listen and Connect with Raw Fabrics on their official website