The Daily Cougar got a chance to talk to indie rock band Atlas Genius, who will be playing Friday at Fitzgerald’s.
The Daily Cougar: I see that you guys are from Australia. How are you guys enjoying the U.S. so far?
Keith Jeffrey: It’s not that different, there’s a bit more people out here. Australia isn’t that much different culturally, but I always feel like there’s a huge difference when arriving here. I feel like I’m home now since we spend so much time here than we did last year. It’s really comfortable.
TDC: How is the music scene here different from Australia?
KJ: Australia’s scene is way different from the U.S. I think it’s the crowd since they are really into it. You got that certain reaction with different crowds when we play over here.
TDC: You are playing a show Friday at Fitzgerald’s. How excited are you?
KJ: Oh yes, we played a couple of times in Texas. It’s always warm, and I like that. I’m very excited to go over there again; it’s always great crowd and vibe.
TDC: Where did you come up with the name Atlas Genius?
KJ: That was the name I had floating around my head for a couple of years. The band and I were thinking of a name, and that was the name I like the most. What I like about it is that is has openness to it, and it stood out from the others.
TDC: Any new albums coming up?
KJ: We actually just released one album. We probably aren’t recording one until a year or so.
TDC: I also read that you will be touring the UK next month. Is this your first time going there?
KJ: This will be our first tour with the band. It will be a short tour, but the culture is great over there, and I believe our band will do great.
TDC: What kind of style would you say your music is?
KJ: Depending on the music labels there are and the reviews critics put us under, people would most likely say its a bit more Indie, dance-pop. Usually, it’s just the style that I like.
TDC: How long has the band been together and what did you do before Atlas Genius?
KJ: We’ve been together for over three years. We’re just barely coming out in the music scene. We actually had a band before, and we’d play once or twice a week with cover songs from The Beatles or The Police, but we also tried to get our own songs out there. That phase went really well, and it helped us pay our bills. We got to experience the live shows that The Beatles experienced.
TDC: Your hit song, “Trojans,” has been playing on a lot of radio stations. What is the story behind it, and how do you want it to impact your audience?
KJ: That song is about a personal experience I was going through when I was a writer, and I wrote about the scenario of that experience. It was a personal expression of where I was at in life. I want this song to help anyone who listens to it and let them use it as there own personal expression.