During the European summer festivals last year, I sat down and had a good chat with some of the guys that all upbeat rock enthusiasts are excited to talk about – Greta Van Fleet. I turned the focus to music preferences, how they enjoy watching live music, the touring days, and languages they might gain there, with band members Jake, Sam and Danny. Perfect to bring you this fun talk now, as the band has kicked off a major headline tour, that stops by UK and Europe in November. You might just learn a great thing or two about the band ahead of it. Join in below:
Alright.. I got some questions for you guys. Let’s start out with music taste.. What kind of genres do you guys enjoy listening to?
Danny: We listen to about every genre that there is, but it depends on what we are feeling. It is kind of our affiliation with music – how you are feeling, what you’re are doing, what is happening. I think folk, blues, soul, R&B are all some genres, where we stick around. It goes from everything from Howlin’ Wolf, to John Denver, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Beatles..
Sam: Yeah. Usually we are not even listening to rock’n’roll.
Okay. Then, what type of artist would be fun for you to cover, that some people wouldn’t expect you to?
Danny: Adele!
Jake: Yeah, maybe. We might do Adele..
Sam: We have actually covered Adele. We have a lot of appreciation for her. You know, she is a fantastic singer. A fantastic musician. So, she is up there for a modern artist that we really appreciate.
Ah, cool! So, on a festival, where you could maybe have some time aside to go explore the area and other performances there, would you go for the folk and blues, or check out something very different, such as metal and other stuff like that?
Jake: Yeah. It is interesting, because it depends on the festival as well. We have been build on a bit of alternative, some pop festivals, but mainly rock festivals for now, and we are looking at doing more alternative and pop festivals. Sometimes it can surprise you with some temporary influences that we have. I have a really obscure one, and am frankly, to be honest, entirely embarrassed to admit it, but..
The rest of the boys: Let’s hear it..
Jake: I did go see Thirty Seconds To Mars.. Twice.. Right! There it is, there it is! I know!
Danny: Wooow.. That is horrible, man!..
Jake: So, I did see them.. So, that was one.. but I would like to go see some more folk and stuff. There is Fleet Foxes. We have been right on the tale of them. We all love Fleet Foxes a bit, but haven’t been able to go see them. Do you have any?
Danny: Modern Man, yeah. Björk is one. When it comes to festivals it depends on the festival and it depends on who is playing, but what I’m looking for is a SHOW and the different kinds of production there can be.
Maybe find some inspiration?
Danny: Yeah, find inspiration and see some from an audience perspective that I’ll never get for one of our shows, you know. I look for stuff like that. It is not always the music I’m there for. Sometimes artists put on a Hell of a show, and that is entertaining to see.
Definitely. Okay, you know there is different types of gig-goers you meet at concerts. Each having their way of celebrating the live music. I was wondering what kind of audience you guys are, when watching concerts… Are you the ones to jump around at any shows?
Jake: That depends on the artist, I think.. I have only done that once maybe..
Sam: For Mumford & Sons…and Thirty Seconds To Mars.
Jake: Mumford & Sons.. and granted I was very, very inebriated.. VERY, very much, sir!
Sam: Veeery drunk!..
Jake: The Queen got the drolly, and God save her!
Sam: I think we like to watch people more, and kind of take in what they are doing.
So, you don’t do mosh-pits either..
All boys: No. No. No. Absolutely.. Definitely not. No.
It doesn’t sound like you have tried this then, but have you been crowd-surfing before?
All boys: No, no…
Sam: I always wanted to, but never done it.
Danny: Sorry about it, but we are pretty boring.
Nah. You can still do it at another show then..
Sam: Yeah. Yeah.. hmm yeasss..
Danny: Give me a surfboard!..
Jake: I’ll do it! Give me a trampoline. Throw that into the audience.
Alright! Okay. So, when you are on tour, what is really some must-haves for you to bring along? ..besides clothing and basic music gear of course.
Jake: Well, you know it is always responsible for us to carry at least one bottle of Jack Daniels.. You know.. Just in case some of us get hurt..
Danny: We need candy…
Sam: Candy, ramen noodles.. It’s all the guilty pleasures to be honest.
Danny: A couple of instruments and a place to sleep, really.
Jake: We are pretty minimalistic people.
What kind of things do you miss, when you are out away from home?
Sam: Just home. Just everything about home. Normalcy, if you will. We don’t really have anything normal in our lives. Every day is completely different than the day before..
Jake: I LIIIIIIIKE IT!
Well, what kind of things can you forget when packing for a tour then? You know, there is often something we forget when packing for travels..
All guys: GLOVES!!
Sam: Every single place I go, I leave at least one garment..
Danny: Yeah. It’s more of what you forget while you are on tour, not before and after. You have to bring everything with you everywhere you go, and get used to that..
When traveling around then, what languages can you speak so far?
Sam: English..
Jake: In that sense, we all do speak a bit of Spanish, because we grew up with that in our school curriculum taught, but we are very strictly English. We are looking to expand on that a little bit.
Danny: Or expanding as we are traveling..
Okay. Do you know any Danish by the way, as we sit here?
Danny: Would you like to teach us some?
Sure. Which word?
Sam: Can you teach us.. uhm what water is called?
That is called vand.
All guys: Vaaand.. vand. Vand. Well, that’s easy.
Jake: How do you say grandfather?
Eeeehm, ehm bedstefar.
Jake: Midstefar.. Bissevar?..
All boys: Mesterfar!..
Sam: How do you say help, I am being ripped to pieces by a hairy bear!?!?
Ummm…. At blive flået itu af en bjørn?… ?..
Sam: Got it!..
….Well, I think this is a good place to finish off for now. I was also going to ask what you think is one of your wow-factors, but I guess speaking Danish is a bit of a wow-factor!
Jake: The wow-factor. That was it.
Sam: There it is.
Danny: Boom!
Great thanks goes to Jake, Sam and Danny from Greta Van Fleet for the chat! They got the album “Anthem Of The Peaceful Army” out on LP, CD and digitally all over, and will perform the material live at the finest venues around UK and Europe in November. Including their first headline show in Denmark. They have already learned some Danish words here, so we’ll see if they will get to share more on stage.. If you are based in The States and hoping to watch the boys perform there, fear not, the boys have scheduled shows for Nashville, New Orleans, and the City Of Brotherly Love – Philly, in December. Check tour details and much more on their official website:www.gretavanfleet.com.
Text and photo by: Jules Faurschou, @twohundredtigersphotos | Exclusively for @Music, Why Not!
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