When the high and mighty lord Zeus (aka Pitchfork) bent down from his gilded throne and called Surfer Blood’s “Swim (To Reach The End)” one of his top tracks of 2009, we found ourselves in wholehearted agreement. The kids from Florida created a song that’s somehow both urgent and sleepy (maybe we only think that because of the music video), awash in reverb and hope. We thought “let’s interview the brains behind this song” and met with Surfer Blood members JP Pitts, Thomas Fekete and TJ Schwarz. We talked about Wii Tennis, 90s guilty pleasures, haters on YouTube and of course landscaping. Also, these guys are so young! Seriously, look at the picture. Hopefully they’ll be around a long long time.

Do you guys have any passions or hobbies outside of music?
Thomas: I enjoy cooking but usually when I’m cooking, I’m distracted by music anyways and I feel like there might be something kinda wrong with me because that’s all I think about. I don’t really enjoy anything else.

Is there a dish you’re good at preparing?

Thomas: When I’m home, I’m a raw vegan. So I guess I don’t really cook but I like making like various types of raw food, raw vegan meals. Specifically, vegan tacos.

JP: I enjoy basic landscaping tasks when I’m not playing music.

[Laughs] Is that true?

JP: Yeah! I mean, I like mowing grass and weeding the garden and planting flowers.

If you were a robot, what would be your primary function?

JP: I’m not very functional right now honestly, one thing I was really good at when I used to be at a barback at a restaurant was I could wash glasses faster than anybody else. You know how you stick them in the soapy hot water and you give them the cold rinse… [laughs] I would be a very ambitious robot, in other words.

On YouTube, Panner300 left this comment on one of your videos: “I personally know the percussionist, from elementary school all the way through now. Awesome band. You go guys.” Care to respond?

JP: Panner300, yes he is an awesome dude as we are now well aware. We didn’t have the good fortune of knowing him in elementary school but you know, thank you.

Thomas: Hi, Panner300, thank you so much for the kind comment. It’s very rare to come across a nice comment on YouTube these days and I’m sure when I get to the venue in about 15 minutes and tell Marcos, he’s going to be thrilled.

Regarding your sound, YouTube user Herbiberous writes: “beach boys meets weezer meets wavves” … any thoughts?

JP: Herbiberous, who are you talking about? I’ve never met any of these people. I’ve never even heard of any of these people. No, I mean… yeah sure. Why not? Whatever.

Thomas: Herbiberous, those are some cool bands so thank you.

TJ: Thanks.

JP: Thank you, Herbiberous.

Here’s one on the less loving side. Funlovingmonkey writes, “These guys suck… so incredibly generic and unimpressive. Very surprised they are getting so much attention” Any responses to him or her?

Thomas: Funlovingmonkey. True.

JP: Get a new user name.

TJ: Let’s be friends.

What would you do on a rainy day when you couldn’t leave the house?

JP: I would probably read copies of the Onion on the internet.

Thomas: You would probably find me either playing my guitar or reading a book, specifically right now a Murakami book because I really enjoy his stuff.

TJ: I would probably just be playing Wii by myself.

What do you excel at in Wii?

Thomas: Wii Tennis–

JP: And Wii Golf.

Do you play against each other as a band?

JP: We have once or twice, but we usually get too distracted in the first ten minutes to finish the game–

Thomas: Yeah.

JP: Actually though, Tyler and me have had some serious rounds of Wii Golf before.

Thomas: Oh yeah Wii Golf is good! Wii Golf and Wii Baseball are great.

You guys are pretty young. Do you have any guilty pleasures from the 90s?

JP: Oh man. Well, that’s kind of when I grew up. Something that I wouldn’t admit to a lot of people, and I’m going to admit now to everybody in the entire world is that song “Freshmen” by The Verve Pipe, I was really into that song. If it came on now it would really bring me back.

Thomas: Probably my biggest guilty pleasure from the 90s… I don’t know if Jah Rule is from the 90s but I’m pretty sure I’ve liked one of his songs, which is absurd.

TJ: My favorite thing from the 90s, I guess would be Vanilla Coke.

What in your opinion is the most fearsome creature known to man?

TJ: The kimono dragon is the most fearsome creature.

Thomas: In my opinion, it’s the Yeti.

JP: I hear the Tasmanian Devil is one of the more fearsome creatures around.

Thomas: In our band.

JP: [laughs] In our band

Any advice for the kids?

JP: I think it’s really important that you study a foreign language in high school and really really give it a good try because when you get older, you’re going to regret the fact that you didn’t, and then you’re going to go to a place where they speak that language and you’re going to try to pick it up and you’re just going to be too old. When you’re younger, you’re like a sponge. We just came back from Montreal and I tried to pick up a few French phrases but it was just really pathetic.

Thomas: Personally, I know a foreign language so I’m going to go with a different bit of advice because it turns out it wasn’t as important as JP thinks it was. That’s the funny thing, sometimes you think things are very important until you actually do them.

JP: Playing the guitar is much more important.

Thomas: Much more important advice —  start a band because it’s cool and don’t listen to bands that answer these questions by saying “listen to our MySpace” or whatever.

TJ: Hey guys, get your eyes checked at a young age. It would be something I would suggest that everyone do.

JP: Yeah, otherwise people might think you’re not good at reading, when in fact you just have really terrible eyesight.

Photo Courtesy of Dan Monick