With two studio albums under their belts and a recent performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Austin band Electric Touch’s profile is on the rise. Hilltop Views talked to lead singer Shane Lawlor about how the band formed, his favorite Austin hot spots and what music keeps him company on the road.

 

Hilltop Views: You’re originally from Nottingham, UK, can you talk a little about what brought you to Austin and how Electric Touch formed?

Shane Lawlor: I had been touring America as a musician for a few years and met Christopher completely by chance in a coffee shop when he was hanging out with mutual friend and producer, Frenchie Smith. Fate brought us together, we both were searching for something new, we wanted to do something on a grand scale. The band was certainly born in our heads first, then we started putting the pieces together. After just a few weeks we recorded a demo, signed our first record deal and started making an album with Frenchie at the controls.

 

HV:Y’all have played a ton of large festivals. What have some of your best festival experiences been?

SL:They are all special. Playing in front of thousands of people is a feeling unparalleled. Lollapalooza 2008 sticks out, it was one of the first big shows for us and certainly the largest audience at that time. Set in beautiful Grant Park in Chicago with Radiohead and Rage Against The Machine headlining. Excited to be returning to “Lolla” this year to play songs from our new album along with Coldplay and Foo Fighters.

 

HV: You’re just off a Coachella performance. What was that like?

SL: Coachella was amazing. To play a festival on that scale is mind-blowing. Hollywood Stars are ten-a-penny. Palm Trees and Bikinis everywhere, but the music is the real star. Watching The Strokes perform this year was a highlight, along with an inebriated Danny DeVito on a golf cart.

 

HV: What’s your favorite venue to play in Austin and why?

SL: There is so many. Antones is legendary because of the history – I mean Muddy Waters played there. Cactus Café for the same reason – Playing on the same stage as Townes Van Zandt is a privilege and as a musician it’s a real pleasure to play where your musical predecessors did. Stubbs is another place I love – we’ve played inside countless times and outside twice, most recently at SXSW 2011 with label-mates The Bravery and Panic At The Disco. And yes, you get free food if you play there! We recently played the Moody Theatre which is the new home to ACL Live in support of musical legends “Heart”– The Moody is state-of-the-art, a pure pleasure and delight to play, and the audience were amazing, certainly one of the finest evenings of our career…so far

 

HV: Speaking of Austin, what kind of things do you like to do here when you’re off the road and you’ve got some downtime?

SL: There’s always something to do in this amazing city, and after living in New York and Los Angeles for a while you appreciate the quality of life here. Whether walking the dogs around Lady Bird Lake, strolling down SoCo, enjoying the countless good places to eat, coffee at Jeannie’s Java, movie at the Drafthouse, or relaxing by the pool. Where I live I hear music everywhere, and one of my favorite things to do is play my acoustic guitar out on the balcony.

 

 

HV: What music are y’all listening to on your ipods or in the van while you’re on the road?

SL: The playlist to the road constantly changes but some are perennial. Bruce Springsteen is ever present – Christopher turned me on to the Boss a while back and he often plays this. Early Arctic Monkeys and Led Zeppelin always make an appearance. Roy Orbison has been big in the van recently also.

 

HV: What’s next for Electric Touch?

SL: Antones on May 14th. Then Rocklahoma festival. New album coming out this summer on Island Records. Then Warped Tour… Lollapalooza…. Check out www.ElectricTouch.com for all the latest