Interview with Vulpine

Recently, Chris Gonda sat down with the full lineup of the band known as Vulpine. They discussed the origin of the band, the many events of the past year, the latest album, and what the future holds for the band.

Can you elaborate on how exactly you guys came to assemble Vulpine? Did you hold auditions, did you know each other before hand, or did it just kind of happen?
Vulpine: Rum and I fulfilled a promise when we were 15 “no matter what we stick together”. Billy was next to join after being seen playing at a local club in Jackson TN. Sean and Puffy, from Nashville, was brought in during the writing and recording of Channels.

Even though Vulpine formed as recently as 2004, in less than a year you have managed to come so far as to having produced and released a full-length album. Was this not killer work and how exactly did you manage it all?
Vulpine: Producing, mixing and recording this Album was a first for me. In all it took about 8 months of dedication, determination and hard work. We’re all happy with our freshman release.

This past May, you released your debut album entitled “Channels”. In terms of feedback, fan-following, and maybe even sales, how has the disc been received so far?
Vulpine: The album seems to be very versatile. We have received a lot of positive feedback; our fan base continues to grow stronger everyday.

After “Channels” was released you spent a lot of time touring in your general region of Tennessee. How successful (and fun) was this time in front of the audience promoting your CD?
Vulpine: We’ve had a blast. The past few months have been really productive and fun. The more we perform the tighter our live show becomes.

Your recent tour ended with a Budweiser-sponsored show in Jackson, Tennessee on August 13th. Was this the biggest show of your tour and what was it like ending your tour by playing in front of your home crowd?
Vulpine: With the support of our Label, Budweiser and the local rock station 102.3 the Rocket, the Jackson show was a huge success. We have a huge fan base in Jackson. We’ve received a ton of support and I’m very proud to call it my home town.

Other than this aforementioned concert, did you guys have any one gig that really stood out as being special or stellar?
Vulpine: Our second show in Knoxville, TN seems to come to mind. There were about 700 in attendance that night, being that it was only our second performance, the crowd response was amazing. It’s seems the larger the crowd the more our true colors shine!

What did it feel like when Bunim-Murray Productions licensed some of your songs from “Channels” to play on MTV shows such as “The Real World” and “Road Rules?”
Vulpine: This is the ultimate in music awareness and we are all excited about this type of exposure. Our Publicist, Booking Team, A&R World Wide and Label have really put together a very professional and tactful approach towards launching our careers even further in the months to come.

In August you had an insanely large radio campaign begin in which some 250 stations would start to play your songs. Can you elaborate on this campaign and for that matter, how has it faired so far?
Vulpine: It has definitely increased our fans base on a larger scale. It really helps to have airplay in the markets we tour. With our second release about to launch, we’re hoping to expand even further.

Does the term “Vulpine” pertain more to yourselves as individuals, to your style of music, or both and why?
Vulpine: The name Vulpine comes from that person we’ve all been inspired by in our lives, in one way or another. The term vulpine describes who this person is and what they mean. Everyone has a Vulpine, someone who is foxy, clever or seductive like. The record is more so of a dedication, the word Vulpine sums up what it means to me.

In roughly just one year Vulpine has recorded and released a full-length debut album, played a ton of shows, toured around the Tennessee region, and been busy as heck with a lot of other things. What do you guys do to unwind and furthermore, how do you keep your energy levels up?
Vulpine: We pace ourselves well. Before performing, we as group say a prayer and stretch in preparation for the live show. We put a lot of energy and love into our show. Afterwards, being able to interact with the fans is relaxing and very fulfilling within it self. It’s because of the fans, we do what we do. It has all happened so fast, there is no telling where this all will lead. I know that in the end all of our efforts and hard work will pay off.

During the course of the next few months what’s in store for Vulpine and its members?
Vulpine: Play shows and promote the record. We are currently working on some new material and if given enough time over the next several months or so, we plan to lay it down.  [ END ]