Shazam Meets…Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim is a singer songwriter from Pennsylvania currently on tour throughout Europe in support of his new album, ‘Be Set Free’. Shazam were lucky enough to catch up with the man himself at London’s Borderline to talk tours, moving house and learning to play guitar.
You have been on tour; first Germany, now the UK, and then onto the rest of Europe. How is it going?
It’s been great so far, I think it’s our best tour in Europe to date. We are a little over half way done then we are off back to the States to do a few festivals over the summer.
Are you looking forward to going home to the States?
Well I’m not in a huge rush but in two weeks it will be time. I’m also moving house so I’m looking forward to that.
Moving house – that’s supposedly one of the most stressful things you can do. You sure you’re looking forward to it?
I feel very peaceful about it yeah. I’m not doing it right now though so maybe just the fantasy is delightful and the reality will be stressful.
How did the other UK dates go? I saw you played Newcastle for example?
The shows have been going great, still not quite as many people as we would like to see, but the people that are there are beautiful people. They are really getting it – which is great as we have been over here five or six times so it’s time for people to get it.
So you said that back in the states you will be playing a few festivals. How does a festival compare to playing your own show?
Well there’s a lot more people at a festival. A bigger festival means there is a certain part of the audience that’s already familiar with you and then there is the people that are wandering from one stage to another and they all end up at your stage and you get to play for a lot of new ears. It’s a good opportunity.
So your real name is Sean, how did the name Langhorne Slim come about?
Before I had a band I moved from Pennsylvania to New York. When I got out of high school at 18 I had great aspirations of being a rock and roll star, and while Sean is a nice name I didn’t think it quite captured the heart. So the town I’m from is called Langhorne and I though Langhorne slim had a nice wiggle to it. It’s like Puff Daddy or Muddy Waters – everybody needs a name.
The latest album you released on an independent label called Kemado Records – how was that experience?
Well the last 2 albums have been with Kemado and it’s been a good home for us. We were on V2 in the states for a while but then they got bought out and the whole thing went to s**t so we got fortunate with this deal - we were no longer in limbo.
Would you ever go to a major label?
I’d hate to say no and then do it! Then I’d have just lied to your face – I’m not for or against majors if the situation is right, so yeah sure why not. I mean, I think some people have the idea that you are selling your soul and if that were the case I wouldn’t do it. I’d like to keep my soul, but I know bands who have gone to major labels and had really positive experiences and then other bands for whom it has been a devastating move. It can go either way.
Does a US audience provide a different reaction from the European audience at shows?
Not that I can notice – a lot of people wonder that, in our experience touring when the energy is good in the room and you are connecting with the audience and people are singing and having a good time then that can be in any city. Maybe sometimes in bigger cities people are slower to react, but I don’t know if I believe that or if I’ve just heard it so many times that I believe it. We have had amazing shows all over. I’ve played shows in NYC where people look at the ground and have their arms crossed – but I’ve also played shows where that isn’t true at all.
So what inspired you to become a musician?
I had no other damn choice! (Laughs) It saved my butt! I wasn’t very good at school, and I was always acting out a little bit here and there but then I discovered guitar. My mum fixed up an old guitar in our house and my cousin taught me a couple of Nirvana songs and that was it, I was hooked.
So Nirvana was the first thing you learnt to play?
Yeah ‘Polly’ was the first song I ever learnt.
Do you get to go to a lot of other band’s shows?
Pretty much just my own! No that’s not strictly true… I go to some but we tour 8 months of the year so when I’m off tour I don’t run to venues.
Your new album is called ‘Be Set Free’ what’s your favourite song on the album?
Geez that’s tough! ‘Back to the Wild’ and ‘Be Set Free’ maybe, but I like them all – they’re my damn songs! Maybe ‘Back To The Wild’ as it’s the newest one. I wrote it just a few days before the recording – the newest ones always excite me the most.
What is the best gig you have ever played?
Hum….these are tough questions! Maybe not the best but the first time I opened up at a festival called Bonnaroo for some friends and I wasn’t even scheduled to be on the festival but they were kind enough to let me play 3 songs before their set and that was the most people I had ever played to – several thousand. Also we played Lollapalooza last year – that was amazing. We play often enough that there are a lot of favourites. Maybe tonight will be one of them!
If you could choose one song from history to claim you as your own, what would you pick?
I’ll go with ‘These Arms Of Mine’ by Otis Redding. It’s a bad ass song. I’m sticking to that choice!
‘Bet Set Free’ by Langhorne Slim is out now available to buy on iTunes.
