Interview: The Poor Excuses

Sure, LA has its share of loud, jangly rock bands (like local heart-throbs Le Switch, for example), but pound-for- pound, none are quite as loud or as jangly as Andrew Lynch's The Poor Excuses.

We caught up with the singer/keyboardist/trumpeteer earlier this week in the middle of recording the group's second album. He was good enough to send over a demo track off of it (scroll below) and it's pretty brilliant.



PoorExcuses (5:56:16 PM): Hi, man.
RFSL (5:57:20 PM): Hey, Andrew. How are you doing today?
PoorExcuses (5:57:29 PM): Pretty fine. And yourself?
RFSL (5:57:39 PM): Doing pretty well.
RFSL (5:57:46 PM): Busy at work these days.
RFSL (5:57:58 PM): These post-apocalyptic futures don't make themselves and all.
PoorExcuses (5:58:03 PM): haha
RFSL (5:58:09 PM): So, you're working on a new album?
PoorExcuses (5:59:19 PM): Yeah, we figure that the first record has been out for about four months... Time to stop sitting around and get busy.
RFSL (6:00:18 PM): I take it you're constantly writing songs.
PoorExcuses (6:00:49 PM): That's the way we want it to be.
PoorExcuses (6:01:33 PM): It's not easy when there are always a million parties, but we gotta keep doing it.
RFSL (6:02:04 PM): When did you start it all up?
PoorExcuses (6:02:51 PM): Mike and I started writing together about two years ago
RFSL (6:03:20 PM): Then what happened?
PoorExcuses (6:03:21 PM): We played our first show in the fall of 2006.
PoorExcuses (6:03:46 PM): And just kind of kept rolling from there.
RFSL (6:04:11 PM): Where was your first show?
PoorExcuses (6:04:26 PM): On the much-feared west side of town.
RFSL (6:04:30 PM): Good Hurt!
PoorExcuses (6:04:31 PM): The Good Hurt.
PoorExcuses (6:04:39 PM): Haha. You guessed it.
RFSL (6:05:09 PM): I've been there. I wish there were more venues on the west side.
PoorExcuses (6:07:55 PM): Our second show was at Spaceland though... And that one was fun.
RFSL (6:08:23 PM): What made you want to do The Poor Excuses?
PoorExcuses (6:09:25 PM): I had been writing and performing around town for a while, being a singer-songwriter and it was so hard.
PoorExcuses (6:09:57 PM): Doing solo sets on piano and not sharing the stage with anyone, it felt like there was no energy.
PoorExcuses (6:10:02 PM): There probably wasn't. haha.
PoorExcuses (6:10:05 PM): but
PoorExcuses (6:10:39 PM): also, I felt like one of a million people trying to do that thing, and I felt like there were other people doing it better.
PoorExcuses (6:11:31 PM): Around that time I met Mike Whiteside who is a great rock guitarist and drinking buddy.
PoorExcuses (6:11:59 PM): And we talked about writing some high-energy material... trying to shake things up.
PoorExcuses (6:12:24 PM): So we just started trying it and it led to The Poor Excuses.
PoorExcuses (6:12:46 PM): Mike's brother Tyler moved to L.A. and luckily he is a high-energy drummer.
PoorExcuses (6:12:56 PM): So it all just sort of clicked.
RFSL (6:42:44 PM): Who did you record your first album with? Where?
PoorExcuses (6:43:05 PM): There are three engineers in the band, so we recorded it all ourselves.
RFSL (6:43:18 PM): Yeah, you do work over at The Ship, right?
PoorExcuses (6:43:42 PM): Yes, The Ship is so cool.
PoorExcuses (6:43:53 PM): We actually did three songs at King Size Sound Labs, though.
RFSL (6:44:06 PM): Ahh. That's next door, right?
PoorExcuses (6:44:11 PM): Yes.
PoorExcuses (6:44:43 PM): I would love to make the next record at The Ship. Just have to work it out with Mr. Espinoza.
PoorExcuses (6:44:45 PM): Haha
RFSL (6:45:19 PM): And of course, you moonlight in his band Earlimart.
PoorExcuses (6:46:19 PM): You call it moonlight, I call it friendship.
PoorExcuses (6:46:55 PM): Aaron is one of my favorite people, so when he wants something how can I say no.
RFSL (6:47:14 PM): He's a good guy.
RFSL (6:48:01 PM): So how far along is the new album?
PoorExcuses (6:48:39 PM): We have three or four songs that are totally finished.
RFSL (6:49:24 PM): I really like that track you sent over.
RFSL (6:49:27 PM): What was it called?
PoorExcuses (6:49:37 PM): Haha, thanks. That one's called Die For.
RFSL (6:50:15 PM): That's a little poppier than you guys normally have been.
PoorExcuses (6:50:30 PM): Yes, we're guilty.
PoorExcuses (6:51:23 PM): Truthfully, it feels good to write about some other things once in a while... I'm going to be doing more singing on this record, not so much of the shouting type stuff.
PoorExcuses (6:51:41 PM): The other guys will be doing more singing, too.
RFSL (6:51:48 PM): Is this a kinder, gentler The Poor Excuses?
PoorExcuses (6:52:01 PM): Haha!
RFSL (6:52:08 PM): Sorry. Couldn't help it.
PoorExcuses (6:53:09 PM): It's okay. My mother will be happier, too. She likes the melodic stuff. So this next one is all for mom.
RFSL (6:53:48 PM): That reminds me... You said you thought I didn't like you guys cause I called you "loudies" a few times on the site.
RFSL (6:55:03 PM): I swear that was a term of endearment…
PoorExcuses (6:55:51 PM): Aw, thanks, Joe. I struggle with the artistic paranoia sometimes...
PoorExcuses (6:56:05 PM): Wanting people to like what I'm doing.
RFSL (6:56:33 PM): It could be me, too. I have “communication issues”...
PoorExcuses (6:57:02 PM): Which is why you use iChat??
PoorExcuses (6:57:03 PM): haha
RFSL (6:57:34 PM): Heh. Nah, that's mostly because it takes me weeks to find time to transcribe.
RFSL (6:58:14 PM): So, what's next for you guys? Any shows coming up? Residencies? Getting out of town?
PoorExcuses (6:59:13 PM): We just played like fourteen shows in the last three months... all over L.A..
PoorExcuses (6:59:38 PM): So I think the rest of the summer is mostly going to be about developing new material
RFSL (7:00:59 PM): Cool. Well, I'm looking forward to the new album.
PoorExcuses (7:01:17 PM): Thanks, man... I'll send you some stuff for sure.
RFSL (7:03:54 PM): Cool. So one last question for you:
RFSL (7:04:02 PM): What are you listening to these days?
PoorExcuses (7:04:36 PM): I got an advance of the new Obi Best (formerly Colorforms) record... and can't put it away.
RFSL (7:05:02 PM): Oh, cool. I've been meaning to check them out more.
PoorExcuses (7:05:13 PM): And that Amateurs record never gets old... I love their new songs too... Only seen them live.
PoorExcuses (7:05:52 PM): We've done a show with Obi Best... It was like PB&J.
PoorExcuses (7:06:10 PM): Alex is great. The whole band is great.
RFSL (7:06:44 PM): Are you guys talking to Orphan Records about putting out your next album?
PoorExcuses (7:06:57 PM): That would be great.
PoorExcuses (7:07:11 PM): We haven't spoken to anyone yet though
RFSL (7:07:26 PM): They've got some good stuff. I just heard a track off the new Eagle & Talon and it's fucking great.
RFSL (7:07:29 PM): Cool.
PoorExcuses (7:07:50 PM): Eagle & Talon... Always great, too.
PoorExcuses (7:08:45 PM): When you put this interview on your site, you have to give it the title "Birdie Num Num."
PoorExcuses (7:09:03 PM): That's karim's (our bass player) favorite phrase.
PoorExcuses (7:09:12 PM): It's from The Party with Peter Sellers.
RFSL (7:09:20 PM): Oh, holy shit. I just saw that.
PoorExcuses (7:09:23 PM): haha
PoorExcuses (7:09:26 PM): birdie num num

RFSL (7:09:33 PM): That was at Hollywood Forever a few weeks ago.
RFSL (7:09:47 PM): Fucking great film.
PoorExcuses (7:09:48 PM): Oh, nice... You saw it on the big screen.
RFSL (7:11:22 PM): So anything else you're listening to?
PoorExcuses (7:12:56 PM): I've heard bits and pieces of the new Wolf Parade record... I love them.
PoorExcuses (7:13:15 PM): The new Beck record is tripping me out
RFSL (7:15:28 PM): Cool. Good stuff. Well, that's all I've got for you.
PoorExcuses (7:15:38 PM): Awesome, man. Thanks so much for the fun.
RFSL (7:15:46 PM): Thanks a lot for your time.

DOWNLOAD:
- To Die For (Demo) MP3