

Photographer: Eric Rose at Filmesque.com.
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The Great Aural Interplay 3
A grip of blind dates betwixt a grip of musicians
\[it seemed like a good idea at the time\]
Wampire interviewed
_by_
Empress Of
Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps jammed together in middle school, then in twenty-something cohabitated houses packed to the gills for parties, before carving out their sound: pop jams that are sometimes sinister and generally heavy on bass. With shaggy manes and ‘80s attire on the cover of their newly released album, Wampire is a hearkening back to yesteryear mixed with a contemporary bit of experimental variety. Like the shifting barometers of their stomping grounds (Portland, Oregon), darker spots of their sound give way to pockets of poppy bliss.
Empress Of: _What stuff, other than music, influences you?_Wampire: Human history, ancient cave paintings, neolithic man, Hieronymus Bosch, dinosaurs, whiskey, weed, women, and outer space.
_What is your favorite shirt?_Fresh, early ‘80s button-up.
_How often do you watch small cute animals on YouTube and how does that affect your music?_Never, except sloth videos. Makes me wanna be in the rainforest and live forever, moving at a slow pace.
_Some say cooking is a lot like music. Would you say your cooking is technique driven or rock ‘n’ roll?_I know how to caramelize and sear. Rock ‘n’ roll is hot, but don’t burn your mouth. Technique is all about feel. I can fry chicken, too.
_What is the weirdest show you have ever played?_A Mormon-hosted talent show. We were like 14.
_What does time mean to you?_A black hole. Always fleeting and intangible, yet such a governing principle.
_Where is this going?_I don’t care.