Correction: The original headline for this article contained a typo. “Gardens and Villa” was misspelled.
Santa Barbara-based indie band Gardens & Villa will perform its synth-tinged vintage rock on the Bruin Plaza stage at noon Tuesday. The band members are coming off of an extended stay in Oregon where they have been writing and recording a follow-up album to the band’s self-titled first release last summer. Shane McKillop, the band’s bassist, spoke with the Daily Bruin’s Samantha Suchland about the recording process, dorm food and the etymology of “coco vibes.”
Daily Bruin: In interviews, you’ve talked about the “old-school approach” you used in recording your first album. What is the “old-school approach” and how did it affect the sound?
Shane McKillop: Well, the first record we did was with Richard Swift, and he had (the idea) in his head to have us record to a T like older bands of the early ’80s and ’70s. Throw them in a room together and do everything at once and it had a distinct sound that was very flowy, and it wasn’t very constrained. … It was pretty liberating for us to record that way, to really let us flex our musicianship and get into a mind set instead of redoing takes like you do in Pro Tools.
DB: Was it difficult to adjust to that style of music recording?
SM: It was easier than we all thought. There were definitely what we felt were some imperfections in a lot of the songs, but the imperfections added to the character. Richard was the main proponent of that. He told us to listen to old Rolling Stone records or Bob Marley records and a bunch of other old stuff like that and it was pretty janky. You forget that nowadays, listening to so much. But there are a lot of imperfections in a lot of our favorite music.
DB: You’re getting ready to record some new songs. How does the album you are working on compare to your first album?
SM: I think it’s more up-tempo. The first one had a lot of slow psychedelic songs and I think with this record, we want to keep it more danceable and still weird and quirky and trancey. The tentative names of songs are like “House Bong” or “Trance Song.” I think the stuff we’re working on right now is a little more groovy than the first record.
DB: Can UCLA students expect to hear many of the new songs when you play on campus?
SM: It’s going to be a delicious sandwich of both of the eras. Of both of the records. There should be a couple we can pull off to try out on campus.
DB: There are a few places where your sound is described as “coco vibes.” What are “coco vibes”?
SM: It’s something that one of us said sporadically and people ran with it, and it’s been haunting us for a while. It’s described as a character who comes to Santa Barbara, who shall remain nameless, who walks into parties wearing floral shirts with open pineapples that he pours rum into. He usually DJs the party and is always having the best time ever and he describes everything as “coco” or “the vibes” or “coco vibes.” … It became a joke word and we said it enough (that) it sounded like we were serious about it. … It’s kind of a way of life ““ like an island lifestyle. It’s when you use a lot of coconut products ““ like coconut oil for your skin, you drink coconut milk, you cook all your food in coco butter (and) you drink coconut water for thirst. … It’s a lifestyle based on coconut products.
DB: What are you most looking forward to about going to Coachella as a band, and not just as fans?
SM: I don’t know what the artist badges will allow us. … We’re going to try and delve deep into the weirdness of the backstage realm. We’re going to take our backstage passes and run as far back as we can, and we’re going to try and find Dr. Dre.
DB: Have you guys come down to Los Angeles to play very often? Where have you performed?
SM: We’ve played several places. We did (The) Satellite (and) we did (The) El Rey. This is our first college show, and I have some friends at UCLA, so this will be interesting. … We like playing L.A. and because of Coachella we can’t play L.A. too much in the next couple months, so I think UCLA is one of the only shows that we’re going to do for the next three to four months.
DB: Is there anything else you want to tell UCLA students about the show?
SM: We will be in front of the cafeteria looking for free swipes, so if people can help us I know that they’re very generous and it won’t take very long. … My best friend used to go there and he would hook it up and it was like a dream land.
Email Suchland at ssuchland@media.ucla.edu.