Looking back on 2007, the members of Chicago’s The Interiors, Chase Duncan (vocals, guitar), Collin Jordan (bass), and Brian Lubinsky (drums), come to a clear consensus: It was a shitty fucking year. The band survived car crashes, divorce, and accidental amputation. As the old adage goes, what didn’t kill them made them stronger. The evidence is reflected on their eponymous debut album, released in June on the small Michigan label 54’40° or Fight! Steeped in jangly, Southern barroom energy and tight, African funk rhythms, the band combines the best elements of Graceland-era Paul Simon with the dirty Southern vibe of Kings of Leon. “African music was the common ground that brought us together,” says Duncan. “We wanted to do something where the rhythm is very prominent, something that’s a little looser and swings more than a lot of current indie rock. Ultimately, we’re trying to craft good pop songs, but not in a pandering way.”
Along with Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, Duncan joined the rock and roll amputee club when he lost a half-inch of his index finger in June 2007, nearly ending his career. “I was walking out of my apartment building when the door caught wind and slammed on my hand,” he says. “I figured it was only bruised, but the tip of my index finger had been cut off and there was blood spurting out of the end like in Monty Python. I had to unlock the door and knock my fingertip out with a key. We weren’t really sure if I’d ever be able to play guitar again, as it’s the index finger on my fretting hand. It still really hurts, but it’s kind of made me a better performer.” Six months later, Duncan and Jordan lost control on an icy stretch of road outside Indianapolis, flipping the car three times and smashing their gear in the process. Duncan’s side was completely smashed, although both escaped serious injury. “I feel like I’m living on borrowed time, and it’s brought the band closer together,” muses Duncan. “My recommendation for therapy is to have a near-death experience and to cut off an important piece of your body.”
Clockwise from top left: Chase Duncan, Brian Lubinsky, Colin Jodan
The Interiors: www.the-interiors.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/theinteriors
– Drew Fortune