Mister Loveless are a 4-piece rock band founded in 2003 by high school friends, Rob Miller and Charlie Koliha in a sleepy suburb of San Francisco called, Walnut Creek. Loveless (as those familiar with the band refer to them) grew from an angular, post-punk act to a sonic territory, all their own when they enlisted long time friend, Sean Gaffney and devoted fan, Nick Clark. With influences ranging from The Pixies to The Smiths, they have the ability to move their listener into a frenzy and celebration of youth and disorder then, within moments, take them to the brink of solemn tears. Mister Loveless are currently setting up the release of their album, Grow Up, for Sept 11th, 2012. The next single, “Wild Summer” is set for release on July 17th, 2012. We recently had the chance to chat with Rob about social media, the bands best gig, and where you can see them next.
What do you hope listeners will get from your music?
Without seeming to "hippie-dippie", we hope listeners feel our music speaks to them. That it resonates with them in a way that is unique and undeniable. We were fortunate enough to get that from a few groups when we were kids and I think it encouraged us to celebrate who we are and where we're from rather than apologize for it. I guess we're just trying to return the favor.
What’s the best gig you ever played?
That's hard to say. I'm sure each of us has a different answer. I saw a lot of bodies flailing around The Uptown in Oakland when we last played, back in April. That's always a good sign. Shows where we've had the opportunity to share the stage with some of our favorite bands like, The Wedding Present or Black Francis have been amazing. Sometimes the ones you least suspect like, a Tuesday night at a dusty art gallery in downtown LA end up being the best. I find that I'm always answering this question differently and I think that's a good thing.
How has social media affected the way you market/promote your music?
Social media has enabled us to engage with our base daily. We can keep people posted every step of the way through out the recording of an album, making of a music video, etc. It's a great way to promote, market and create demand for our music. However, it's important to find a balance between engaging and bombarding people. It's much easier said than done. We are using social media much differently than we were a few years ago. It's a way to keep those who are already fans of the group connected but it's not necessarily the best tool for making new fans. No one is going to discover their new favorite band through "Facebook Recommended Pages." Playing live is still the best way to reach people. Social media is for keeping them connected.
What’s a creative way that you interact with your fans? Live? Online?
I recently made an Instagram account for the band (follow us! @mister_loveless). Despite there being less words involved, the sharing of images can almost be more revealing of the day to day aspects of being in a band. I think that's interesting because it goes back to the whole "less is more" mentality. We're still very new at it but I think it's going to be a creative way for us to keep fans engaged while on the road.
When it comes to playing live, we believe interaction should be an organic thing. No one wants to be read a script. That's for politicians.
What’s your next big gig coming up? When/Where?
"Wild Summer" Single Release at Slim's in San Francisco on July 14th!
Check out more on Mister Loveless here.