Imperial Teen has been around for longer than you think; roughly 15 years to be exact. Wielding its own distinct brand of pop/rock, the quartet has since crafted a solid niche for itself on the indie scene, particularly thanks to the experience of seasoned pros Will Schwartz, Roddy Bottum, Jone Stebbins and Lynn Truell. Known for its complex lyrics and catchy hooks, Imperial Teen has made a solid mark in the music world during its run, especially with new album Feel The Sound (Merge). We decided to test that experience by inviting the band to guest edit magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with Schwartz.
Bottum: I love Brazil; it’s my favorite country. I’ve traveled a lot in my life, and it’s one of the few places that doesn’t rely on America for inspiration. The Brazilians are their own people: sexy, confident and totally musical. My friends in Rio told me about the musical based on the life of Tim Maia when I was down there in October, and I went and saw it. It was all in Portuguese and I didn’t understand a word, but you know: artist struggles, artist records, artist succeeds, artist does drugs … I got the picture. It was the songs, though, that bowled me over. Maia is kinda like Isaac Hayes but sweeter. His era was ’70s soul. He was a big man who loved pizza and pot and sex, and he died onstage. I haven’t stopped listening to him since I came back.
Video after the jump.
