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Terraplane Sun, from Venice Beach, CA, has been quickly making waves–touring with Imagine Dragons and recently playing the Sunset Strip Music Festival. The band’s new EP Ya Never Know is out now, which you can pick up here. GroundSounds recently caught up with Terraplane Sun vocalist Ben Rothbard to talk about their music, upcoming plans, and more!
GS: How did you meet and form the band?
BR: Cecil and I have known each other the longest and had played together in another project. I met Johnny while working on a commercial and we hit it off almost immediately. I contacted Cecil informing him that I jammed with this dude a couple of times and there was some potential. Cecil joined us shortly after and the initial core was formed. We’d heard about Gabe for a while from mutual friends in the music world, but he lived in San Diego. When we got word through the grape vine that he was moving up to LA, we pounced on him like a Lion would a baby antelope. Lyle came recommended by our good friend Brian Stanly of the Los Angeles band The Diamond Light. After weeks of trying to track him down, we succeeded and got him up to Johnny’s for a rehearsal. We were sold half way through the first song and Terraplane Sun was formed.
Why did you choose the name Terraplane Sun?
The name was pulled from an old blues song called Terraplane Blues written by the great Robert Johnson. The Hudson Terraplane was an old American car in the 1930’s that was considered to be quite the pony in its time. He used his Terraplane as a metaphor for his woman in the song which I though was pretty clever. Somebody had been driving his Terraplane since he’d been gone. I also figured that the word Terraplane, more or less unknown to the rest of humanity, wouldn’t provide any predisposed notion or idea of what we might sound like, allowing our music to lead the way.
Your music is self-described “blues indie rock folk dance soul.” You’ve got plenty of sounds and styles making up your sound and it blends really well. What do you attribute this variety to, your individual tastes and influences? Does being from the eclectic and artsy Venice Beach contribute to this as well?
It’s 100% a result of our individual and collective tastes and influences, Venice Beach and So Cal being a major part of that. Our generation grew up on so many different types of music, it’s inevitable that it would come through in our sound. Hip Hop, Rock n Roll, Punk, Soul, Pop, Reggae, Motown, etc. have been with us our entire lives. It’s engrained at this point.
You’ve had a big summer: releasing your EP Ya Never Know, touring with Imagine Dragons, and playing the Sunset Strip Music Festival. What was the best part about your summer and what are your plans for the rest of this year?
They’ve all been special in their right, but it would be hard not to put the Dragon’s dates up on a pedestal. Playing in front of 10,000 people a night was pretty mind blowing and the response we got was just amazing!
What is the inspiration and story behind your song “Get Me Golden”?
It was something that came together fairly quickly and naturally, like it was just meant to be. Musically, we were trying to channel that Motown magic. Something with an upbeat and infectious groove. Lyrically it really stands for going after what you want and going after what you love.
Your live show has received high praise and great reviews. What do you want the audience to take away from your live performances?
A sense of hope and inspiration. And that they feel better leaving then when they came in.
You have unique and interesting artwork for your debut album Coyote as well as Ya Never Know. Who comes up with the ideas for your artwork and who designs them?
Coyote was drawn by the brilliant Laura Peters, a good friend of ours. The Ya Never Know album art was created by our very own Cecil.
Who is your favorite band/musician making music right now? Along the same lines, who do you wish was still making music?
We’re all big fans of Tame Impala’s latest record Lonerism. I think it’s safe to say that The Beatles had another brilliant record left in them, maybe even their best yet.
Terraplane Sun – “Get Me Golden”
