Fire Flies
It’s their party they can dance if they want to
By Shira Knishkowy
It is rare that stoned guitar playing in your freshman year college dorm room leads to
anything more than a few open mic shows at the student union. SUNY Purchase ’06
grads Fire Flies have knocked this stereotype to infinity and beyond with their brand of
danceable spaced-out-pop. It only takes one listen to their new album “Two New
Sciences” for Fire Flies’ infectious melodies to take over your brain. Songs like “It’s a
Party” and “Mechanical Love” are highlights, blending MGMT’s psych-rock with a nod
to 70’s glam. Having won Germany’s Emergenza Festival this past summer and with an
upcoming coveted spot at SXSW’s tent party (along with Kimya Dawson), Fire Flies are
moving on from New York and are ready to take the galaxy by solar storm.
Origins: Dan, Matt and Seth: New York, Wil: Alabama
What it is: Rock music for positive outer-earth diplomacy.
For those who like: The Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Flaming Lips
Relevant info: “Two New Sciences” released Aug ’07; “Baobabs In The Basement”
released June ’05; National tour begins March 12 in Austin TX through April 11.
www.firefliesmusic.com; www.myspace.com/firefliesmusic
Shira: You guys were just declared “Best Unsigned Band on the Planet” by the
Emergenza Music Festival in Rothenberg, Germany and your song “It’s A Party” is the
theme song for F/X’s “Rescue Me.” Whoa. Having just recently graduated from college,
did you have any idea that the proverbial “real world” would end up treating you this
well?
Matt Krahula (bass, backing vocals): The real world is a funny place. We've been very
fortunate. Everywhere you look there's a hand to hold on to. Everywhere you go there's a
face of somebody who needs you. There's always an old familiar friend, waiting just
around the bend. That being said, I think the band is much more excited about "It's a
Party!" being featured on the SIMS 2 Freetime soundtrack alongside Natasha Bedingfield
and They Might Be Giants.
Wil Farr (lead guitar, backing vocals): I had no idea the "real world" would end up
treating us this well…I can't wait for my plans of world domination to come through, as
well as my swimming pool filled with Susan B. Anthony coins and silver plated pennies.
Shira: What new opportunities has winning Emergenza brought you?
Dan Romer (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, synths, songwriter): Ahhhhhhh........... we were
offered a contract.
Wil: I got a new guitar and a new outlook on the “music business.” Plus gas money for
our trip to the Red Gorilla Festival in Austin.
Shira: I know you guys began playing music together early on in your college careers.
How has your sound matured since then and where do you see it progressing in the
future?
Seth Matthew Falk (drums): We're always striving to improve what we're doing. Since
college began, we've all grown tremendously as musicians, as songwriters, as producers.
We're always trying to write the next power hook, blast out the next killer groove.
Mostly we've grown as a family, though. Every day I feel more and more that these guys
on stage with me are my brothers, my blood. I think they feel the same way. And I think
the audience can sense that.
Will: Dan has grown to love electric guitars, Matt has learned to be badass, Seth has
acquired superhuman strength, and I have regained my will to love. I see us transmitting
our "product" by means of telekinesis.
Shira: You guys seem to have a fascination with the intergalactic. Why the alien
influence? Do you believe? 2012?
Dan: I feel like the percentage of pop songs about earth as compared to the percentage of
the universe that actually earth occupies is grossly off kilter. We're just trying to do our
duty to even out this figure…What will happen in 2012 all depends on if Nibiru is in the
neighborhood and how hard the stock market's gonna crash. As far as aliens, I'm fairly
sure that math states that there is no possible way for aliens to NOT be on this planet.
Seth: It's like Kay said, “Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was the
center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat...
Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.” As far as 2012 goes…I think we're ready for an
“awakening.” Hell, I think we're practically screaming for one.