Back in 2013, the alt. pop rockers of Knox Hamilton rose to the top of the charts with their single “Work it Out,” a catchy, feel-good song glittering with positive energy and perfect for sunny days lounging by the pool or driving down the shore with the windows down. Their music still carries this uplifting vibe, from their big hit “Washed Up Together” to “Video Sunshine” and the rest of the tracks on Knox Hamilton’s new Beach Boy EP.
Knox Hamilton kicked off The Beach Boy Tour on July 13, and their next stop is at the Mercury Lounge in NYC tonight and then over to Asbury Lanes at the Jersey shore tomorrow night. Tickets for their tour are available here!
The Pop Break had the opportunity to interview Knox Hamilton in light of their show at Asbury Lanes tomorrow. We discussed their signature sound, the origin of their passion for music, how they’ve evolved over the years and what it means to be a part of Knox Hamilton.
To begin, I just wanted to let you know that I had the chance to see your set at Firefly music festival back in 2015 and it was definitely one of the highlights for me that year! So when I heard about doing this interview, of course I had to!
Thank you so much! Happy you enjoyed it cause we certainly did.
What elements do you think make up the signature sound of a Knox Hamilton song? What do you think makes your music so recognizable and distinct for your listeners?
I think the fact that none of us are classically trained and we have no idea what we’re doing makes our sound unique. We hope people can hear how much we loved writing that particular song.
I came across an interview that you guys did back in 2014, and I found it really enlightening when you said: “And as we began to write music, I realized I never wanted to feed a bad moment, but rather foster a good one. I’d rather make people dance than cry. Life is filled with problems and rainy days – I’d rather Knox Hamilton ease that dreariness than indulge in it.”
This was so refreshing to read and it inspired some questions: I’m wondering if you still feel the same way about your music now? Is this still the main focus or goal of Knox Hamilton when it comes to creating music?
Absolutely. We want to make people happy cause we’re happy dudes!
This one is particularly for Boots and Cobo—I read that you both discovered the importance and power of music at church and it basically sparked your passion for it. So keeping with the idea of your music easing the struggles of your listeners and spreading positivity, was this outlook on music influenced by growing up in the church as pastor’s sons? If so, in what ways did music at church – or going to church in general – impact the music of Knox Hamilton?
I would say definitely. Pentecostals love to shout and dance so it’s just natural for us!
From the start of Knox Hamilton to releasing “Work it Out,” to The Heights and all the way to your most recent single “Video Sunshine,” how do you think your music has progressed or evolved from then until now?
If you’ll listen to any of our albums or EP’s, there’s never concrete sound or thread. We love all kinds of music and it shows in the songwriting. Our songs will probably continue to be very different from each other in that respect.
Now that I’ve mentioned “Video Sunshine,” what is this track about and what acted as inspiration for it? (while it sounds pretty straightforward about a person wanting to be more than friends with someone, there’s always an unknown back story that listeners wonder about!) It started with the lyric “if ever I had a music video, would you dance in it.” That was such cool imagery so he wrote a song around it.
As someone who is claustrophobic, your video for “Washed Up Together” has always been a bit frightening to me, but at the same time, it’s so intriguing and unique that I just keep watching. How did the idea come about for this music video and how does it reflect the meaning of the song?
It came from our director, Titanic Sinclair. He thought the plastic wrap represented a relationship that’s so intense you feel like you’re going to suffocate. In a good way.
What are some of the main themes that pervade your music? Are there any ideas that you seem to be connecting to the most lately?
We’re really feeling the “don’t care what anyone thinks, we just love this song.” It helps us write more genuine music.
It’s exciting that it’s almost time to kick off your first headlining tour! What are you looking forward to the most regarding the Beach Boy Tour?
We’re just jazzed to see everyone! Tour is one big hang and we love it.
What can you tell your listeners as far as upcoming music? Is anything in the works, or will that be the focus after your tour?
We have a lot we’re working on right now that we’re pumped about. Some very different stuff that our “familton” might not expect…
What is being a part of Knox Hamilton all about? What is the best part about creating and performing music?
Knox Hamilton is a collective alter ego. We’re all actually very nerdy so we need to be in a band to overcompensate.
Best part about performing: the feeling that at any moment everything could go wrong is such a rush. We live for it.
Knox Hamilton performs at The Asbury Lanes on Saturday July 21, click here for tickets. They will perform as a part of Radio 104.5’s Block Party at Festival Pier in Philadelphia on Sunday July 22.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU45sO5oDJM
