Photo: Courtesy of Sneak Attack Media
Leaving success behind and heading out into the great unknown can be hard thing, just ask Kevin Durant. Not only do you have to start over, but you leave yourself open to second guessing from fans, family and the stressed out guy staring at the mirror. You may not have heard of the Vacances (yet), but you have definitely heard songs they’ve played on if you’re a dance rock fan. Frontman Danny Lannon was the singer of The Frail, guitarist Nic Gonzalez used to play in The Restless Hearts, drummer Chris Heinz was in the Walking Shapes and bassist Dan Bindschedler is formerly of Robin Bacior. Collectively, those former bands have shared the stage with the likes of Hot Chip, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. But, that’s all in the rearview mirror now as the Brooklyn-based Vacances are set to release their first EP, Last Summer (heard exclusively on Crave) and set out on a Summer/Fall tour. If you like a whippet of catchy, 80’s era synth pop, these songs are your jam.
We had a chance to chat with Nic and ask him about the band’s fresh start:
Crave – Tell me about the meaning of the band’s name? Vacances translates to “holiday” in French or is it a play on the plain old English word “vacancy?”
Nic Gonzalez: The name indeed refers to holiday or the sense of a vacation. We romanticize the thought of getting away. The feeling of escape in any form or outlet is something that we find fascinating, and helps inform a lot of the content of our songs.
What is it like starting over in a new band when all of you have had success in previous bands?
Starting over is such a great feeling. Everything just feels right this time. Nothing is forced, and we are all on the same page. All we can do is take what we learned from our successes and failures in previous bands, and make sure we do our best.
What did you learn from your experiences in your last bands?
Most importantly, I think we all learned what NOT to do. We all have different experiences and circumstances, but I would think the most important thing we all learned is to focus on the music and simply have fun. Everything else will come in time.
How has the Vacances experience been the same/different?
We are simply just three dudes who have a passion for music. We all get along great and just want to create and have fun. No ego, no bullshit. Great chemistry is something we have that none of our previous projects had.
Your first single is Runaway, tell me about the process behind it?
Danny wrote the song back in California around the time his previous band, The Frail was ending. He wanted to do something with a new sound, taking from the best of 80’s new wave and pop bands. Lots of life changes, and themes around love and loss, etc. His good friend Allen Davis helped us produce the song and the result is what you hear today. It’s a highly collaborative process, which is something I feel pushes all creative work to levels never thought possible.
There’s a “needing a break” or “vacation” theme going on here with words/terms like “Vacances” “Runaway” “Last Summer.”
The whole Last Summer EP is themed around teenage innocence and love. The thought of finding your crush on a boardwalk on a hot summer night is something we wanted to explore. The excitement, the anxiety, the sheer unknown.
What’s next for Vacances after the release of Last Summer?
We are currently writing new songs, which we have whittled down to 7 or 8. The plan is go heads down, play some shows here and there, and have something for everyone in the fall. We are exploring themes in contrast to “Last Summer” with more of an ominous and dark vibe. We are also looking into recording the songs overseas, to make the process more special and unique. The goal is to always push ourselves to do things we’ve never done before.
