Just after they’d recorded some tracks at the world renowned recording studio Stratosphere Sound in New York City (partly owned by James Iha, formerly of the Smashing Pumpkins), we caught up with Nic and Josh of Pittsburgh based band 1,2,3.
AH: Hey guys how are you both?
Nick & Josh: Good!
You guys have a new album out called New Heaven.
Nick: mmhmm
When did you guys release the album?
Nick: It came out about June.
Have you been on tour for it since then?
Nick: We did couple of tours for it over the summer and its starting to slow down a little bit now, we are doing CMJ now and doing the one offs till the end of the year and will probably pick touring up again in January February.
You guys worked on and recorded the album together as a duo how did you go about making the album together?
Nick: We demoed about 90% of it out first on my computer and even ended up using some/most of those in the actually finial tracks. So we had a lot of it planed out ahead of time its just more about getting sonic qualities a little bit better. So we got in contact with Nicolas Vernhes some how, who has done a lot of albums we really like and he is a really sweet French man (laughs) and it was a blast making it we had every thing pretty much mapped out so it was just us playing around and trying to make good sounds which is the funnest part of making music.
You now have another two members are they permanent or they hanging out for the tour?
Nick: yeah yeah
Josh: They’re involved all leaves of touring the band like the direction is still in our hands i guess i would say. We have been together for so long like not just in this band but ten years together. but they are them more them self kinda into people we could rely on to be in our group with us. The album is like one side of the story. Because we are so new people want to know what happened with them before. But everything was all recorded and
all done before they were around.
…so its still in the process of working together and growing…
Josh: Yeah yeah it started out we needed a live band..we had another band in LA it was different guys for a little bit and we moved back to Pittsburgh and then we knew and we drop their lives to go on to tour.
Nick: they are very dedicated and it just nice that they are our friends so its nice to hang out with them But yeah they will be playing with us…
Josh…indefinitely…
Nick: as long as they want to and they will be on our recordings and things like that
…very sweet! You mentioned getting back on the road sometime in Jan / Feb any chance you will be heading down to Australia for the festival session?
Nick: We are in serious talks with our manager right now she is working her tail off to get us down there.
Josh: We wanna go there. Theres a lot of interesting people and talks with labels and its a nice place. one of our songs was played there on the national radio station, there was a song on there before, some of the DJs got hold onto me about it but apparently there has been a lot of interest from industry people in Australia there, I would love to go there.
Nick: yeah I mean its defiantly in the top three places we want to go to with this band.
What are the other two?
Nick: Japan is one of them and…
Josh: England was my one, we went to England last year and I thought it was great…but as for places we would like to go…
Nick: As for places yet to go… I would like to go to South America maybe something like Brazil
Josh: Yeah but youʼer talking like for a vacation stuff… (laughs)
Nick: No!
Josh: hang out and relax
Nick: Dude..bands tour down in Brazil all the time
Josh: Yeah but England thats is like the classic one, its the goal you know what I mean.
Nick: Yeah but we went there I’m talking about places we are yet to go that’s what I’m talking about.
Josh: yeah I know I’m saying but its about dreams….
They do like their rock bands in South America…
Nick: I have heard…I know they are like gigantic Romans fans down there
Josh: Apparently the Strokes are huge down there do sell out stadiums like in Mexico… they are bigger there then they are here in America
Crazy… OK well its been nice chatting and hopefully we will see you guys and the rest of 1, 2, 3 down in Australia.
Nick: Yeah i don’t think it will probably be until a few months into 2012 before we make it over.
Maybe for Splendour then?
Josh: Well apparently the guy who runs Splendour is a fan of the band so hopefully that will help and we will get to play that whole deal.
