New album in the works! Catch them during their tour!
SXSW is just around the corner (March 7th to be exact) and we’ve got days of interviews lined up for you guys! We’re spotlighting some of the awesome Korean bands that are coming to the States to spread not just their own music, but the power of the Korean Rock scene as a whole! Enjoy the interviews, this next one being with Korean Post-Punk band Smacksoft. Post Rock is one of my favorite genres of Rock music because the melodies are much softer and usually more sentimental than standard Rock. Pair that with a punk sound and you have something pretty legit- Smacksoft are a great fusion. Their unique style is bound to gain them tons of new fans during their U.S. tour!
Smacksoft– Marching Through War
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Congrats on your tour and playing SXSW! Please introduce yourselves.
Thanks so much! Hi, everyone. My name is Bo Ryung Whang, but you can call me “Bo” for short. I’m the leader of the Korean post-punk band Smacksoft and I sing and play guitar in the band. There are four other members in Smacksoft: guitarist Rainbow99, drummer Jin Shil Suh, bassist Ji Yong Shin, and Ha Neul Kang who plays keyboard and synthesizer.
Why are you excited to be playing at SXSW 2014? How do you plan to make the most of this great opportunity?
I’ve never been to Austin before so I’m really looking forward to exploring the city, especially since I’ve only visited Dallas, Texas. It’s always cool to get to visit new places, and it’s even better when we can play a gig there! SXSW should be a lot of fun- It’s the biggest music festival in the world. I always get excited when we get the chance to play at really good shows.
Where do you guys get your musical inspiration?
I get a lot of my inspiration from my daily life. Every day is precious to me and inspires me in many ways.
I know it can be hard for Korean bands to get the opportunity perform in America. What advice would Smacksoft give to a band wanting to tour the States?
If you want to tour overseas, do it. Act on your wishes and create your own opportunities. Some people may worry about the language barrier, but music is music. It’s universal. If you play good music people will always be with you, no matter where you go.
Besides performing and making new fans, are there any other things you’re looking forward to doing while in the States? Any places you guys wanna see or foods you wanna eat?
I love eating meat, so Texas is like heaven to me. I’m really looking forward to eating lots of barbecue while we’re in Austin. After SXSW, we’re playing at CAAMFest in San Francisco on March 20. I’m really looking forward to visiting there as well- It’s been more than a decade since I’ve last visited San Francisco.
You guys have some shows after SXSW, right? Where are they gonna be?
March 13 Austin, TX @ Icenhauer’s (SXSW)
March 16 San Antonio, TX @ Limelight
March 20 San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall (CAAMFest
What are some of Smacksoft’s future plans? Anything big in the works?
On April 12 we’re playing as part of the PMPS Festival in Amsterdam that’s happening during CinemAsia. After that, we’re going to do a gig in Paris- details for that show are still being worked out. We plan to release our sixth full-length sometime in June. We’ll be recording the album after our American and European concerts.
I hope you all have a sick time! Anything special you want to say to fans before the tour starts?
If you’re going to be in Austin, San Antonio or San Francisco in March please come see us play. And make sure to say “hi” as well. We love meeting new people! Hope to see you all soon!
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Smacksoft– It Is You & Me
http://youtu.be/gvXkLhY4ADU
Follow Smacksoft:
https://www.facebook.com/smacksoft
http://smacksoft.net/
Smacksoft on iTunes