Meet Your New Favorite Band: Solid Gold

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As soon as I heard Solid Gold’s album Bodies of Water I was blown away by the Minneapolis, Minnesota quartet made up of Zach Coulter (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming), Adam Hurlburt (guitar, bass, keyboards, programming), and Matt Locher (bass, keyboards, guitar, programming). Though they fall into the “Chillwave” category of artists who make use of electronic sounds in their music, their music is as catchy and well laid out as anything out there today. I had the chance to talk with Adam about making music, being categorized as “Chillwave,” getting recently robbed, Kenny Loggins and more.

So how did you get together to form Solid Gold?

Matt, Zack, and another dude formed the band in Madison, WI around the year of 2001… They were college friends….

In your music there’s a lot going on in every song. What’s the process like for you putting the songs together? Is there a chief songwriter or does the band share the workload?

There isn’t any concrete process set in stone…. The three of us (Matt, Zack, and Adam) put as many parts into the song as we can think of, then it’s sort of a process of elimination in the editing and mixing sessions. Zack writes the lyrics, but the music comes from all of us in various forms. Some magical, others material.

Where do you draw your influences from?

We all loved the britpop age… but that might be the only consistent influence we share thru writing. Sade is a huge shared influence as well.

I feel like the term “Chillwave” sort of popped up recently with a lot of bands being thrown in that category, including you. What do you think of being classified as that?

Classifications are what they are, i can’t speak for everyone, but i like “chillwave” more than ElectroRock

On your new EP Synchronize, you cover Kenny Loggins classic “Highway to the Danger Zone” and at a recent show you covered The Stone Roses “I Want to Be Adored.” Both are great and random reinterpretations. What made you choose each and do you have any more in mind?

I believe they chose us. Top Gun may have influenced our choice… The Stone Roses cover has been floating around our consciousness for quite a while…

What are you listening to right now?

I’m listening to the new Beach House record a lot. Sleigh Bells are cool as well… Gayngs too!!! but that’s more for practice, less for influence.

I saw you play at SXSW a few times this year and you had a great turnout. How has the response been to your music since then?

It’s been good. Our recent east coast tour brought out more people than we thought would come, or know about us…

I’m sure you have some crazy road stories from traveling together. Care to share one?

Is it ok to use the word “retarded”? The most retarded story probably has to do with one of us being discharged from intensive care five days before hitting the road, with no other legal drivers in the car.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?

“Thrillwave”

I heard Solid Gold was recently robbed. That sux but seems like a rite of passage for being in a touring band. What happened?

The computer we use for our live samples and loops was taken, along with the iPod we had everything backed up on…. we know now not to keep our backups next to the computer.

What would you say to the person who stole your stuff if you could say anything?
I certainly hope you put it to better use than us.

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