QRO caught up with Tel Aviv’s Garden City Movement. In the conversation, Joe Saar (guitar/keyboards) and Johnny Sharoni (vocals/sampler/percussion) talked about upcoming Modern West EP (out April 6th on Vinyl Factory) being from Tel Aviv, touring with SOHN and Cults, playing Glastonbury as a relatively unknown band, studio tricks, and more…
QRO: It’s one thing to play Glastonbury with a lot of hype but it must be such a wild experience playing the festival as a relatively unknown band. What was it like for you guys to play Glasto?
Johnny Sharoni: I always like to come in as the underdog, because then you have nothing to lose and you give it your best. When we went on stage we could see people that didn’t know us waiting to see what was going to happen, and then when we played their eyes opened and they really got into it. Wandering around as a new band at the festival could be great material for a documentary, there were some Kodak moments like when we all of a sudden found ourselves stuck in the mud in weird situations with Jamie xx and Florence Welch or Disclosure … like “coffee and cigarettes,” only muddier.
Joe Saar: Glasto was a crazy experience, so many people and bands you want to watch. I’ve never seen so much mud in my life, I was thinking about every step I took for four days.
QRO: I know that being asked about a band name could typically be trite, but there is some intrigue as to how you guys came across calling yourselves Garden City Movement, how did you guys agree upon that name?
Sharoni: Well “Bauhaus” was taken already. [smiles] We went through names that represent the place we come from with some kind of connection to aesthetics, above all we just really liked it. [smiles]
QRO: When I gave the Modern West EP a listen it surprised me how it was both immediate yet soothing. Does the way you guys make music together differ than your previous experiences in bands?
Saar: Every session of creating music is different from the last. We learn a lot of stuff each time we’re in the studio. That’s the fun of working with other people, each of us sees the music differently and has his own ideas and work methods and somehow it all works really well together.
Sharoni: For me it’s the first experience working with a band, so I bring some kind of naivety to the table, but it’s fun and fresh. I am kind of a dreamer, and at the same time I learn a lot from my mates.
QRO: When it comes to recording, what would you say has become your strength? Of course your instrument, but do you feel like it’s become easier or more difficult to give input to your bandmates?
Saar: I feel really comfortable in the studio and I think we’re at a point where we feel each other and know each other very well. I’m really excited to get into the studio to work on our debut album.
Sharoni: I see our strength in all of the recording and sampling methods and tricks. We refine our music all of the time and pay a lot of attention to the textures.
QRO: What left you surprised about being in a studio for the first time and what ended up being something that you loved?
Sharoni: Wow, a lot. The first time I met Joe and Roy [Avital, vocals/guitar] at the studio I just came in to write some lyrics for a new project they started to work on after their band split. During the first session something happened between us, and I found myself involved in the music process. I think that was the day we recorded “Move On” and it resulted with GCM becoming a band and my new journey as a musician after being a music journalist and DJ for a long time… and yes, I kinda like it.
QRO: Many Americans travel to Tel Aviv and think of it as a bit of a paradise, but I’m curious to know what it’s like being a band based there and starting out. Was there a scene for you guys to immerse yourselves in?
Sharoni: Well Tel Aviv is a great place and different from the rest of the state, but it’s not easy to be far from music capitals like London, New York & L.A., so we work hard to narrow down the gap. The scene in Tel Aviv is small and not really focused on one thing, like you have in bigger cities out there. However, it’s a proper heads scene with some of the best DJ’s and acts the world needs to discover. I have been lucky to take part in supporting the local scene for the past nine years. We are surrounded by amazing people and over time we’ve achieved a lot, but we’re always looking forward to making it bigger and better.
QRO: SOHN and Cults are acts that do what they do well, and create atmospheric tones with their live shows. What was it like touring with them and do you feel that you took anything away from the shows?
Sharoni: First of all, I have to say that they were really nice and it’s not obvious as they tour a lot, so I appreciate it. Second, they were super professional so you learn a lot of tricks on how to make things easier (because touring is hard), and of course how to improve your sound on stage. For me personally, I want to adopt their patient and nice approach as I’ve hosted a lot of artists in Tel Aviv and had some awkward experiences.
QRO: Has there been an instance of surrealism since forming the band? Being in a band can be such a turbulent experience but the highs are as many as the lows sometimes. What was an instance where you felt very fortunate for being in a band?
Sharoni: Well waking around Glasto all together was one surreal moment, and of course the Boiler Room session where we had to play with no volume because the police stormed in. We have a strong connection between us, so we know how to confront things and move on.
Saar: I’m proud of us as friends and as a band, especially after gigs (even the bad ones). On tour there are really good times, and I enjoy playing our songs every time.
