The Low Down with Low Cut Connie's Adam Weiner

What happens when Birmingham, England meets NEW England? Low Cut Connie. 

A critically acclaimed but perhaps not (yet) so well known band composed of Adam Weiner, Dan Finnemore, James Everhart, Will Donnelly, and Roger Holcombe. Their toe-tapping, piano-thumping sound is one you NEED to be listening to on the regular.

Their debut album ‘Get Out the Lotion’ was named by NPR as one of the best 10 albums of 2011. Their sophomore follow up ‘Call Me Sylvia’ was released in shortly after and from that, their single "Boozophilia" was rated one of Rolling Stone magazine's top 50 of 2012.

They're kind of like every New Jersey rock & roller you can name meets Jerry Lee Lewis and they all get drunk with Dick Dale. Don’t try to define it! Just get down with it and have a good time. If you aren’t punch drunk with appreciation after a set with these boys, better check your pulse.

In a misguided attempt to garner a few more audience members for the band’s upcoming SXSW showcases, main piano whacker Adam Weiner kindly answers my questions in this informal sit down~

I know you’ve played Austin before but is this your first time to play at SXSW? What showcases/ venues can we expect to see you at?
This is Low Cut Connie's first SXSW appearance...we've got three shows confirmed and I'm bribing various individuals to lock down some more.  We're also throwing our own party on the last day at Carousel Lounge, which is a circus themed lesbian trucker shitkicker bar in East Austin.  It's always quite a scene in there.

Tues March 11, 1am - Headhunters Patio, official SXSW showcase
Sat March 15, 3pm - HI Austin Backyard Bash, 2200 S. Lakeshore Blvd.
Sun March 16, 1pm - the Gutbucket Brunch @ the Carousel Lounge

It’s my understanding you’ll be releasing your third album later this year. Both of your previous albums (Get Out the Lotion and Call Me Sylvia) were (pardon the pun) self-released. Will this album be as well?
The rumors are true, we just finished our new record and it's a real killer.  Sexy swampy soulful balls-out rock n roll.  I am in the middle of a long process of begging, pleading, grovelling and prostitution to get the record released this year on any prominent label that is flush with money, power, and catered lunches.  We'll see how it plays out. 

Last year saw a limited single issued via Grimtale Records featuring 2 songs from your NPR World Café show (Boozophilia & Brand New Cadillac). How did that come about? How was it to see that record sale play out to primarily a collectors market?
We had such a blast doing the World Café show...we went in there with our shitty gear and turned their gorgeous pristine museum-like studio into Jimmy's Chicken Shack on a Saturday night.  They were very gracious with us and let us do our thing.  It turned out great and so when Grimtale asked to do something with us, we decided to release a taste of the session.  It's fun releasing something for a niche collectors market because they have this little orgiastic incestuous community that has been very supportive.

You recently posted a Goodfellas-inspired video for ‘Jump Into the Fire’ which is featured on a tribute album to Harry Nilsson. What was it like to be involved in that project?
We've always been Nilsson fans, he was a phenomenal singer, writer and ball-buster of the highest order.  When they asked us to give them something for the tribute record, it was an easy choice...as Goodfellas is our favorite movie, and they use "Jump Into the Fire" so prominently in the coke bust scene.  Shooting the video was essentially just allowing our movie-making pals to follow us as we performed in various hepatitis-infected establishments in the Philadelphia area.  Just another day in Low Cut Connie.  

I’ve read you were friends first and became band mates later. Your sound comes across to me as very ‘party rock’, just some guys looking to have a good time. I’m curious to know what (if any) regional Jersey/Philly artists have served as inspiration for the music you’re making?
The rumors of Dan Finnemore and I being friends have been greatly exaggerated.  We simply tolerate each other, occasional speaking to each other...we continue on simply because the money is so good.  Take that message to heart - being in a band is a great and easy way to make a living in modern America if you are a complete degenerate and have no family or moral scruples. 
As far as regional Jersey / Philly artists that have inspired us...there isn't time to list them all, but I'd like to shout out to a local Philly legend, Jerry Blavat, aka the Geator with the Heator.  He's a famous DJ, radio personality, dancer, and raconteur in Philly who is still rockin at age 73 and has been a huge supporter and inspiration to Low Cut Connie.  

You’ve had a ton of critical acclaim, but you’ve also developed a strong crowd following. In building a loyal fan base, how important is their word-of-mouth and do you think social networking has helped to increase your popularity?
I wasn't aware that anyone actually liked us.  We pay audience members five dollars each to look like they are having a good time.  It makes us feel good about ourselves during hard times.  Beyond this though, whatever popularity we got is almost certainly from people telling other people that our show is where it's at.  We may not be the most gorgeous young well-oiled shiny guys around, but we give you our all when you come to see us.  

I’ve heard you sometimes tell your audiences ‘Let’s get weird’ and that you put on some pretty ferociously rocking shows. Based on your past experience in Austin, a town reputed for ‘keeping it weird’, how crazy do you expect things will get at SX? 
Austin crowds can be pretty weird...good-weird, that is.  I expect various improvisations, maneuvers, and impregnations during our shows.

I know you’ve played Austin before but is this your first time to play at SXSW? What showcases/ venues can we expect to see you at?

This is Low Cut Connie's first SXSW appearance...we've got three shows confirmed and I'm bribing various individuals to lock down some more.  We're also throwing our own party on the last day at Carousel Lounge, which is a circus themed lesbian trucker shitkicker bar in East Austin.  It's always quite a scene in there.

Tues March 11, 1am - Headhunters Patio, official SXSW showcase

Sat March 15, 3pm - HI Austin Backyard Bash, 2200 S. Lakeshore Blvd.

Sun March 16, 1pm - the Gutbucket Brunch @ the Carousel Lounge

It’s my understanding you’ll be releasing your third album later this year. Both of your previous albums (Get Out the Lotion and Call Me Sylvia) were (pardon the pun) self-released. Will this album be as well?

The rumors are true, we just finished our new record and it's a real killer.  Sexy swampy soulful balls-out rock n roll.  I am in the middle of a long process of begging, pleading, grovelling and prostitution to get the record released this year on any prominent label that is flush with money, power, and catered lunches.  We'll see how it plays out. 

Last year saw a limited single issued via Grimtale Records featuring 2 songs from your NPR World Café show (Boozophilia & Brand New Cadillac). How did that come about? How was it to see that record sale play out to primarily a collectors market?

We had such a blast doing the World Café show...we went in there with our shitty gear and turned their gorgeous pristine museum-like studio into Jimmy's Chicken Shack on a Saturday night.  They were very gracious with us and let us do our thing.  It turned out great and so when Grimtale asked to do something with us, we decided to release a taste of the session.  It's fun releasing something for a niche collectors market because they have this little orgiastic incestuous community that has been very supportive.

You recently posted a Goodfellas-inspired video for ‘Jump Into the Fire’ which is featured on a tribute album to Harry Nilsson. What was it like to be involved in that project?

We've always been Nilsson fans, he was a phenomenal singer, writer and ball-buster of the highest order.  When they asked us to give them something for the tribute record, it was an easy choice...as Goodfellas is our favorite movie, and they use "Jump Into the Fire" so prominently in the coke bust scene.  Shooting the video was essentially just allowing our movie-making pals to follow us as we performed in various hepatitis-infected establishments in the Philadelphia area.  Just another day in Low Cut Connie.  

I’ve read you were friends first and became band mates later. Your sound comes across to me as very ‘party rock’, just some guys looking to have a good time. I’m curious to know what (if any) regional Jersey/Philly artists have served as inspiration for the music you’re making?

The rumors of Dan Finnemore and I being friends have been greatly exaggerated.  We simply tolerate each other, occasional speaking to each other...we continue on simply because the money is so good.  Take that message to heart - being in a band is a great and easy way to make a living in modern America if you are a complete degenerate and have no family or moral scruples. 

As far as regional Jersey / Philly artists that have inspired us...there isn't time to list them all, but I'd like to shout out to a local Philly legend, Jerry Blavat, aka the Geator with the Heator.  He's a famous DJ, radio personality, dancer, and raconteur in Philly who is still rockin at age 73 and has been a huge supporter and inspiration to Low Cut Connie.  

You’ve had a ton of critical acclaim, but you’ve also developed a strong crowd following. In building a loyal fan base, how important is their word-of-mouth and do you think social networking has helped to increase your popularity?

I wasn't aware that anyone actually liked us.  We pay audience members five dollars each to look like they are having a good time.  It makes us feel good about ourselves during hard times.  Beyond this though, whatever popularity we got is almost certainly from people telling other people that our show is where it's at.  We may not be the most gorgeous young well-oiled shiny guys around, but we give you our all when you come to see us.  

I’ve heard you sometimes tell your audiences ‘Let’s get weird’ and that you put on some pretty ferociously rocking shows. Based on your past experience in Austin, a town reputed for ‘keeping it weird’, how crazy do you expect things will get at SX? 

Austin crowds can be pretty weird...good-weird, that is.  I expect various improvisations, maneuvers, and impregnations during our shows.

Thanks so much to Adam for participating in this Q&A! Check them out at SXSW or be kicking yourself in about six months. Also, be sure to check out this co-shared post over on our WaxOHolics page for exclusive info where Adam answers the Top Five WaxO's Gotta Know questions.

SXSW 101- A Newbies Guide to South by Southwest

A month from now I will be attending one of my most favorite festivals on earth, South by Southwest.

The anticipation generally sets in about the time I get on the plane to leave the previous years film & music festival based in Austin, TX, so you could say 'it's been a long time coming'. Last year's festival saw over 20,000 attendees and over 2,000 musical showcases. Although it's really too early to know exactly what to expect from this years festival, three rounds of musician (all I really care about) related announcements have already been released. 

I've started to piece together my 'Must See' list and here's how it's shaping up so far...

Pujol!, Blondie, Gary Numan, The Strypes,  BP Fallon & The Bandits, The Ghost Wolves, Low Cut Connie, Diarrhea Planet, Black Lips, Black Milk, Those Darlins, Sturgill Simpson, Shakey Graves, Kelly Stoltz, Moon Taxi, Luke Winslow King, Natural Child, Deap Valley, and Warm Soda. 

Also the interview with Neil Young. 

Wow. It's going to be amazing. 
And that's just the first day!

So, how do you train for an event of this magnitude you might be asking yourself.

1) Lots of walking. Be prepared for a ton of foot work trekking across town unless you are OK with shelling out beau coup bucks to the pedi cab drivers. Also, if you are staying at a hotel in an outlying area, it's advantageous to purchase a Shuttle pass. Available in single, five and nine-day increments, it's well worth the investment and, in my opinion, is way better than having a rental car and getting a cab is next to impossible. So why try?
2)  Study a map of the central downtown area where the festival occurs, especially if you haven't been there before.

Most events are centered between the Convention Center and 6th Avenue, west of I-35. However, in recent years, showcases have begun expanding further east of I-35 and south of the river (primarily on South Congress Avenue). Of course a smartphone is super-handy (and pretty essential) to have whilst down there- not only for checking last minute schedule updates, but for locating yourself and the venues you are trying to find. Showcases are added and schedules are changing until the fat lady is singing and if you're offline, you're probably missing out.
3) If you've purchased an official SXSW badge, create your SXSW social account and start flagging events you're interested in. Things move quickly while you're down there and it's helpful to have several options in mind in case you aren't where you thought you'd be when the time arrives. Also be sure to register online for ticket lotteries to the most exclusive showcases. Winners are generally announced 24 hours prior to events and both my husband & I have been fortunate to win in the past.
4) Register with DO512,  and keep up with a ton of Official and Unofficial SXSW events. Unofficial SXSW is almost as extensive as the festival itself, and if you can't afford an official badge there's always music to be found. Often a cover charge and a wait in line can get you into some exclusive showcases (though certainly not all). Waterloo Records is a great place to catch live music and showcases free of charge (plus, cool vinyl, can't beat that!) They often times host autograph signings during the festival, too.
5) We've been to Austin a few times now and have a few favorite restaurants, but I always check restaurant guides (Diners, Drive In's and Dives is one of my fave's) to have an idea of good, accessible and relatively inexpensive places to try while we're there. I also pack snacks to have in our back pack and our hotel room because you can't be guaranteed a Taco Bell at three in the morning.
6) If you get completely burnt out and need to escape the fest for a bit, Austin is a super cool town with lots of fun things to do and see. Home to the State Capitol building, the University of Texas, a bridge full of bats and an abundance of art and culture, there's something for everyone.
7) Know that the Convention Center has restrooms open to the public (non-badge holders this means you).
8) If you're thinking about saving some airfare or beating the crowd by skipping town on Saturday- FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T DO IT! Some of the best things happen on the climactic Saturday nights. It may seem like a good idea at the time, but you'll regret it later.
9) Last but not least, as best you can, prepare to have your mind blown. If there's one thing I know it's that no SX is the same and there's no telling what could happen any given year.