Formed in North Carolina in 2013 by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Stephen Warwick, Ancient Cities melds well-crafted lyrics with fuzzed-out guitars, hints of psychedelia, and a pop sensibility.
Warwick gained noteriety in 2010 with his lof-fi folk endeavor titled Talking Machine, receiving local acclaim as best song-writer and landing on Shuffle Magazine’s top 10 list of best albums that year.
Seeking a new musical outlet, Warwick headed back to the studio and enlisted friends to join him in the for . Towards the end of the recordings, Justin Fedor (The New Familiars) joined Warwick and the two set out as a duo for their first tour under the name Ancient Cities, after a dream Warwick had as a child. July 2014 marked the release of Ancient Cities’ self-titled debut album, and they expanded their live sound with a rotating cast of musicians. Current line-up includes Justin Faircloth on organ/synth and Matt Curl on Drums.
They’ve been touring up and down the east coast for a few years playing club dates as well as festivals such as CMJ Music Marathon, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and the prestegious Newport Folk Festival’s 56th anniversary. They were one of three bands chosen by Converse to play Newport, as well as record at Converse Rubber Tracks Studio in Boston where they started work on their follow-up album Supermoon Blackout. Ancient Cities has been featured in the Vanity Fair and the Village Voice, as well as a series of live videos with famed music sites PASTE Magazine and Live & Breathing. You can catch them this summer/fall out on tour in support of their second album.
In this interview, we have a virtual pow wow with Ancient Cities to discuss their newest project, influences, and more.
Full Q&A, links, and the video for Marmalade below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
I grew up listening to my dad’s records which mainly consisted of 60s rock and roll and psychedelic rock. So, it was just natural that I wanted to play music like the bands I looked up to (Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Stones, Sabbath)
How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?
I’ve been creating music since high school, but hadn’t taken it seriously until around 2010 when I put out my solo album ‘Talking Machine.’ Our bass player Justin Fedor was in a band called The New Familiars which had a few albums out since 2007, and keys player Justin Faircloth has had a few projects, one called the The Houston Brothers has had a few release our since 2004.
Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?
I like the 60’s era rock and roll, art and culture, so that’s a big influence. The love for music motivates me to keep going, and how creatively challenging and rewarding is can be.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
Nothing really specific, I like to challenge myself and take risks from one album to the next. Ancient Cities have been playing the new tunes live for over a year, so when it came time to record the new album, the live energy just came naturally.
What was the last song you listened to?
Some Velvet Morning from Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra. The reverb on Lee’s voice and the disjointed waltz of Nancy’s part, it’s really a great song!!!
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I definitely prefer vinyl. Besides the fact that it sounds better and lasts longer, it’s a physical work of art!
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I prefer physical/tangible things, so I’d choose vinyl over digital formats any day. But of those digital outlet choices listed I’d choose Bandcamp because it’s allows a more direct connection for a fan to an artist.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?
It’s always a challenge to describe our own music to people. We list off our influences all the time but ultimately we sound like us, which means nothing to someone who has never heard of us haha.
Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?
We definitely tour, and have been playing shows in support of our new album. Our tour dates are listed on our website www.ancientcitiesband.com.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?
Fans can like us at Facebook or check out our Soundcloud page.
Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
Shout out to Refresh Records, who are putting our new album and debut album out on vinyl later this year.
