White Rabbits
In the vein of Walkmen and Cold War Kids, these Brooklyn kids are more than all right
By Liz Schroeter
Published: May 30th, 2007 | 10:18am
How many times have you found yourself at a rock show and been forced to endure a crappy local opener? Some awkward new band, fumbling their way through songs they’ve barely finished writing, still getting its bearings and no semblance yet of stage presence.
I was bracing myself for exactly that when I wound up early at a friend’s show in fall 2006 and learned I would have to sit through a set from some new Brooklyn band called White Rabbits. Now, one could argue that, being jaded, I simply set the bar way low for these guys, so it’s no wonder I was pleasantly surprised when they were, in a word, awesome. But I assure you — six months later, having caught a couple more live shows, I’m still completely sold. These guys are the real deal.
White Rabbits have presence. They ooze confidence. They roam around the stage switching instruments, banging on one another’s drums and keys. I dare you to see this six-piece band live and not get caught up in the intensity of their stacked, wailing vocals, the beat of two drummers and plenty of shakers, and the ramshackle rhythm of their songs. They definitely share a certain style with the Walkmen and Cold War Kids, but with the excess of instrumentation and a dark, dancy, two-tone feel, White Rabbits are truly something unique.
In anticipation of their debut album, Fort Nightly (produced by Chris Zane — Les Savy Fav, Asobi Seksu, Calla), singer-keyboardist Steve Patterson talks about coming to Brooklyn, making the album, and sharing a bedroom with his entire band.
Is the band name White Rabbits a nod to my favorite Jefferson Airplane song?
It can be if you want. But honestly, no, it's not really a nod to anything.
You’re not all originally from New York, right? From where did you come, and how did you end up in Brooklyn?
We all grew up in the St. Louis area, more or less. After cutting our teeth in Columbia, Missouri, for a year or so, we decided to pack our belongings into a van and move to Brooklyn.
What are some of the best and worst things about living and being a band in Brooklyn?
It's not the prettiest place in the world, but there’s a lot of people who like music and are excited about it.
What’s your favorite place to drink in Brooklyn?
Sunny’s in Red Hook. Some great bluegrass and country bands play there, and it has a wonderful feeling of being at your grandmother’s house or an old country home. Cheap too.
Is it true that White Rabbits live together in a commune, er, loft and share the same bedroom?
It is true. The loft is in Bushwick [Brooklyn], and there’s a practice space in it as well. It’s convenient and affordable but hardly comfortable.
While I’m sure I could guess, what are some of the ups and downs of that situation?
The ups are being able to practice where you live and not paying too much in rent. The downs are fairly obvious — not much privacy and arguments over doing dishes while writing music. There’s a swing and a basketball hoop, so that’s fun.
Five years ago, where did you imagine you'd be in five years? Are you there or anywhere close?
We weren’t a band five years ago, but we were all making some embarrassing music back then, I’m sure. As for where we are today, we’re probably pretty close.
For not being dyed-in-the-wool East Coasters, you manage to have this very Great Gatsby, Dead Poets Society vibe going on. Where does that come from?
Fitzgerald was from the Midwest.
I want to ask about one of the more stand-out, narrative songs on the album, "Navy Wives." What is the song about, and what was the inspiration?
That one went through a lot of phases. It’s essentially about a tragic female character. A girl who drinks too much.
Early feedback of your music includes track reviews from the Avenue Q puppets as well as track reviews from Mrs. Doyle's eighth-grade class (which includes in-depth comments as "It was OK," "Did not like the lyrics," and "No"). What? Who is Mrs. Doyle, and why were his kids reviewing your songs?
My Aunt Marianne teaches at an elementary school in Illinois. She’s a big fan and supporter of us, so she had her kids review a couple songs as an assignment. A tough crowd, indeed.
Has the press picked up since then?
No, I think we pretty much peaked with puppets and eighth graders.
Everyone in the White Rabbits has some serious chops when it comes to playing their instruments. Your piano skills are especially remarkable to watch. It kind of makes me feel like a painted lady in a Wild West saloon the way you cut loose on the ivories. Does this kind of skill come from years of requisite childhood piano lessons, classical training, raw genius, or what?
I hate to brag. Let’s just say we’re good at faking it. A couple of us had some training, but we’re mostly self-taught.
You cover “Maggie's Farm” live. Who does it better: Dylan or the Specials? Or White Rabbits?
Tough question. I’m sure we’d be lambasted to no end if we said anyone but Dylan. And in all fairness, we pretty much aped the Specials version.
Why are songs about drinking always so goddamn good? Can you think of a song about drinking that's not good?
“99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” is kind of a stinker, don’t you think?
Issue #35
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