Andy Howells chats to Long Beach, California based band Crystal Antlers following the release of their new album Nothing Is Real

Crystal Antlers have returned to their roots as an agile power trio of singer/bassist Johnny Bell, drummer Kevin Stuart and guitarist Andrew King and signed with high-powered L.A. independent Innovative Leisure to release their new album Nothing Is Real.

The band have accrued plenty of stories in a short space of time: their debut 7” was funded by a friend who also happened to be a bank robber; they completed the FYF Fest tour in a veggie-oil powered school bus, which got them on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. Their eponymous debut EP was recorded with Mars Volta/Jack White keyboardist/Free Moral Agents mastermind Ikey Owens, and they had both the honour and the heartbreak of being the very last band to release a new record on legendary indie label Touch and Go. Add all that to them learning how to record, make screen-prints, book their own tours, and

recruiting legendary artist Raymond Pettibon to contribute a Crystal Antlers album cover, along with countless other weird and wonderful stories and you have an insight into one of the most DIY/punk rock bands around.

Your new album is called Nothing Is Real, whats been the inspiration behind it?

It’s a phrase I constantly hear people saying in regards to a whole array of subjects. Sometimes they’re frustrated searching for truth, and sometimes they’re just in awe the latest methods of artificially creating something. Mostly an observation. Also a line from a song on the record called Paper Thin.

How long did the album take to put together?

About a year from when we began writing to when it was finished –about equal, 6 months writing and 6 months recording/mixing. We built a studio at my house that was completed just before we started recording so we were able to spend a lot more time sorting through details this round.

You’ve featured drum machines and synths on the album for the first time – was this an attempt to explore new territories?

It was mostly just about utilizing all the tools we had at our disposal. Since we had the studio, other friends/bands that would be recording would leave instruments behind –and we would try to figure out ways to include them while they were around.

There have been comparisons to such bands as The Pixies and Psychadelic Furs, who do you enjoy listening too?

Never listened to the Psychadellic Furs, but I always liked the Pixies. I’m into all sorts of stuff, but lately been lots of Mingus and GG Alin.

Of all the tracks featured on it which is your favourite and why?

I like the track We All Gotta Die. It’s was collectively written song on the record and also the most natural. It was finished lyrics and all within about an hour. The best ones always happen that way.

WIll Crystal Antlers be visiting the UK anytime in the future?

Looking like late winter/early spring 2014.

Whats been your best live experience?

The very last show of our first tour in Europe in 2009. We’d met a family in Belgium who were kind enough to put us up for the last couple days before our flights home. We woke up in the morning our last day there to our manager and the family informed us there’d be one more performance. In the early afternoon we set up in the garage at their home and began playing for the kids. All the people in the neighbourhood came over and the kids set up a half pipe and were skating while the parents and teenagers drank beers and danced around. Everyone had an amazing time that day and it still sticks in my mind as the best live experience.

What else can we expect from Crystal Antlers in the future?

More more more. We’ll be touring the world in support of Nothing Is Real and as soon as that’s over with back to the studio –stay tuned.

Nothing Is Real, is available now on Innovative Leisure.