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Interview with TC Superstar
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
My parents always had a record on, so my life has never been without music. I started playing at a young age and music has always been a therapeutic outlet for me. When I was five I missed a chance to sing a karaoke song with my best friend. After that moment, I think I realized I never wanted to miss an opportunity to participate in music again.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
I like to skateboard around town when I truly have free time. I’m always woodworking or building something for someone. When I’m not working on music, I like to invest my time deeply in whatever I’m doing. I find that puts me in the best headspace when I get back in studio.
How long has your band been around? Also, please tell me about the dynamic of the band of what brought you all together.
TC Superstar began September 2017. We all met at The University of Texas at Austin or shortly after graduating. I had our first album, “Masc,” finished when we started working on the live show. Since then we’ve rotated through different performing members, but it always feels like a family.
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
The name is a reference to the first track on our first album. I like it because it feels like initials for someone with the last name superstar. I’ve always known that this project has never been destined for stardom; but I like the narrative of the delusional artist. I think the name lets me inhabit a character on stage that has more desperate aspirations than I do in real life.
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
We’ve had so many incredible shows around the United States, but nothing compares to some of our hometown crowds at Cheer Up Charlies, Hotel Vegas, Swan Dive, or Mohawk. Especially for some of our release shows, or shows with special guests, the crowd can actually get louder than the band with their excitement. The energy in the room at those shows is kinetic, you can feel it like waves coming off the audience.
What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
We love Cheer Ups, Vegas, Swan Dive, and Mohawk here in town. On the road, maybe Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn or Comet Ping Pong in D.C. Playing Zilker for ACL was a bucket list show for us; that’s something my high school self would not have believed (C3 if you’re reading this we’d love to come back :)). We’d love to play Madison Square Garden one day, fingers crossed.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
This is a hard one, but my dream bill for TC would probably be as follows:
1. We would open so I can get a beer and watch the rest of the show.
2. Porches
3. Blood Orange
4. LCD Soundsystem
5. Charlotte Adigéry
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Our songs change in meaning and importance to me over time. Right now, I feel like Acceptance off of our second release “Heat Death” has been running through my mind. Probably because humanity is really feeling the effects of shifting climate, so every time there’s a new headline about climate catastrophe my mind jumps to the synth solo in that track.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
I love to play Into You, partially because it’s our most well known song so the crowd usually sings along, but also because I get to walk backstage for the last thirty seconds of the song. That’s the only time I really feel like I get to watch TC perform. Our cover of Mama Mia is by far our most requested song, but we only bring it out for special occasions.
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
The music is often a reflection of what’s going through my mind. When I notice my thoughts gravitating around a theme, that theme usually works its way into my songwriting. I’ll bring a record idea to the group with some demos and we’ll distribute the work of choreography, producing videos, graphic design, etc. I’m always looking to make the process more interdisciplinary, so some records involve more collaborative ideation/editing than others.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
I try not to moralize or send messages through my music. The more I think that way when I’m writing the worse the material turns out. I like to examine human struggle through a human lens. I want to write characters that deserve empathy and reflect that back to the listener. Thematically, I’ve chosen to talk about gender, climate change, polyamory, entertainment, and now work culture.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
We are heading out 8/4 on a tour to the West Coast. Our new record, “Static Dynamic,” comes out 10/20 on Flyer Club Records. After that we’ll tour the East Coast.
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?