By: Taylor Magill
I first came across The Electric Sons when I found a copy of their self-titled EP in the box office of the venue where I work. From first listen, I was hooked. With electronic influences, ELS’ EP is high energy from start to finish.
ELS was formed in 2011 when vocalist and guitarist Andrew Miller left his job as an illustrator for the FX Network series, Archer, to team up with vocalist and keyboardist Ben Richards, an advertising graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design. Miller and Richards quickly gained a following of local fans after releasing a home-recorded EP under the name “AM83”. Energized by the grass roots success of the EP, the pair set their sights on releasing a follow-up EP. It was during those writing sessions that Miller and Richard’s shared love for electronic music began to influence their writing. The result is their latest self-produced, self-titled EP, The Electric Sons.
Within a week of their EP release, ELS was featured in Indie Music Review magazine where the EP got 5 star critical praise. “From the production quality to the music, vocals, and lyrics: everything is a home run. After only 4 songs they will definitely leave you wanting more, so start it over and play it again!” (IMR, May 2012)
Whether it’s the growl of the fan-favorite track, “Break Away”, or the shimmering luster of the soaring “Kyoto”, listeners of the EP and observers of the band’s live performance agree: the self-described “two headed music machine”, The Electric Sons could very well be the first big electronic band to come out of the South.
This week, I talked to The Electric Sons about the band’s beginnings, their influences, and upcoming releases and shows.
AMG: What inspired you guys to start a band?
Andrew: I think the band sort of surfaced on it’s own.
Ben: Yeah, we were both involved in music before we met – I was in and out of bands, Andrew was doing some solo stuff. We met in college and then just started writing together.
AMG: Where did your band name come from?
A: From months of running through the worst band names you’ve ever heard.
B: And we were electricians in previous lives.
AMG: Where do you draw the inspirations for your music?
A: I studied animation and film making in college so a lot of films inspire me. We tend to develop a music video in our heads first and just describe what happens with the lyrics.
B: Everywhere. Mainly other musicians.
AMG: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: Phoenix, Miike Snow, Coldplay, etc.
B: I love new music– Grizzly Bear’s new album, Selah Sue, 2 Door Cinema Club to name a few.
AMG: What is your band’s biggest accomplishment so far?
A: I feel like our initial E.P. was a huge accomplishment for us. It opened a lot of doors. Comparing where we were in April to where we are now blows my mind. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.
B: Putting together and producing our own music video. We put in a lot of hours on the creative and logistics of that thing so it was really fulfilling to see it completed.
AMG: Are there any upcoming shows or releases that fans should look out for?
A: We have a show this Thursday (2/21) at the Earl with two amazing bands: Stokeswood who are also from Atlanta and Hank and Cupcakes from NYC. We go on at 9pm, followed by Hank and Cupcakes, and then Stokeswood. Plus a new track and music video released in the spring.
AMG: If you could open for any musician or band, who would you want it to be?
B: I’d love to open for Foster the People. Torches blew me away. Gotye would be a lot of fun too.
A: Coldplay. The energy at their shows is unbelievable.
AMG: What are your future goals and plans for your band?
B:Continue to write and perform for our amazing fans.
A: I have a pretty strong itch to make a full album sometime soon, so I’ll be pushing for that.
AMG: Do you have a Facebook, Twitter, or website for fans to check out?
B: Yep. facebook.com/theelectricsons, tweet the band @theelectricsons and more photos, videos and tour dates at our official website www.electricsons.com. <3
The Electric Sons is Andrew Miller and Ben Richards and is based out of Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit www.electricsons.com.
