Rockstar Magazine: Hail! Enter the Creamy Middles! The Creamy Middles: N: Hail, Russell! Thanks for having us. T: Thank you.
Rockstar Magazine: Introduce the band members! The Creamy Middles: T: Traviss Thomas, vocals and keyboards. N: I’m Nikki Preciado, and I’m the other vocalist. I’m originally from Panama. B: I’m Brian Cox, the drummer. I grew up in the Austin scene and am also one of the band’s five songwriters. N: There’s also the wonderful bassist Jerry “Moldy” Moldenhauer, and our awesome guitarist Vanessa Gonzalez.
Rockstar Magazine: As I jam “Opposite Town” I feel like I need to be smoking a left-handed cigarette. There is something totally 1967 about this song.
The Creamy Middles:
T: I try to write songs that are a little quirky, whether in terms of the lyrics or musical changes. Opposite Town is a good song for pondering. As for the retro sound, that is often intentional, especially when it comes to my songwriting. B: Yeah, this one has a slow tempo
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but is still high energy, which I think is kind –of hard to pull off for a band, especially live. The crowds really pick up on this one and move to it.
Rockstar Magazine: Why the name The Creamy Middles?
Rockstar Magazine:
N: It comes from a quote from the Simpsons: I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles.” It’s referencing Homer’s obsessive behavior, which I think speaks a lot to our obsession with music. Besides, it’s a delicious double-entendre.
What are your influences? You have a very psychedelic sound. 13th Floor Elevatorsish.
The Creamy Middles:
N: Thank you, that’s quite a compliment! I like to say that we borrow a lot from oldies. I can certainly see a little surf rock and 60s/70s in our sound. Vanessa and I tend to write more 80s/90s punkish stuff. It’s quite a mix, but it works. B: 13th Floor Elevators is quite a compliment. We love you Roky wherever you are! I would compare the vocals to The New Pornographers with male and female vocal harmonies in a lot of the singing. The Pixies dissonance is always a bit of an influence in the guitar parts and overall energy of the band too. Traviss might not agree but I think his songwriting is reminiscent of early Elvis Costello too, very witty and tongue in cheek. T: I find your comparison flattering; thank you. I think it’s fair to include psychedelia among our many influences, but for me, the main ones are oldies with great harmonies, bubblegum pop, and surf stuff. The rest of the band adds more indie and punk influences, I think.
The Creamy Middles:
B: Traviss, Vanessa and our first singer played in a band called The Dizzying Highs and they got their name from the same quote, and Traviss, Jerry and I played in a teacher/punk/cover band called The Referrals, so when those bands disbanded we were left with The Creamy Middles. I think Traviss and I both thought of the name separately but at the same time. It was fate.
Rockstar Magazine: You are the early show on the Big day 12th of March! What can readers expect from you guys at the El Leon’s show?
The Creamy Middles:
N: Energy! Our shows aren’t the type where you’re meant to sit in the back table and listen. You’re supposed to become part of the show by dancing, singing along, and catching our cream-filled projectiles. T: And a drummer with a bull horn. B: Cream filled projectiles sounds gross unless you realize they’re snack cakes. I think that people will see our show early in the day, be blown away and spend the rest of their SXSW comparing other bands to us. Hopefully we’ll set the standard for music and energy for the day.
Rockstar Magazine: What
Genre is your music? Indie, Punk,? Kinda Unique.
The Creamy Middles: N: Err…pop punk?
T: Indie twee, pop meets punk, something like that? B: That’s the biggest disagreement in the band. So, like a psychiatrist, I’ll turn it around and ask “What do you think we sound like?”
Rockstar Magazine: Like I said it layers in punk, indie, and psychadelic. What Color are the Creamy Middles?
The Creamy Middles:
B: Caucasian and light brown? N: Brian, that’s terrible! T: Our aura is green. N: Even though I run all our social media campaigns in orange-yellow. It reminds me of bakeries.
Rockstar Magazine: Final thoughts to readers this March?
The Creamy Middles: B: I’d glad that music is becoming a way to have fun again, not just a channel for brooding. Our sound really lends itself for a good time, which is what it’s all about. N: Come out and support local artists, and not just during SXSW. It really brings the Austin community together. T: Don’t forget to come see us play!
Rockstar Magazine: How can we reach the Creamy Middles for media, shows, booking Etc?
The Creamy Middles:
N: I’m the official social media rep, so the best way to get a hold of me first is via Facebook or Twitter, facebook. com/thecreamymiddles or @ CreamyMiddlesTX , respectively. You can also email us at thecreamymiddles@gmail. com . B: Don’t be afraid to come to a show and bring twenty friends too. We’re very sociable.