Austin Sound

For the past few weeks, Western Ghost House has been running the west coast with Crooks, but their tour ends at the Mohawk this Sunday, March 7. Western Ghost House first captured our attention last year with their live show, and now with an EP and couple of good tours under their belt, have congealed into a local band to watch in 2010. While their songs can kick with hard-lined, dark alt. country vibe, their unbridled bursts and Jesse Pantoja breathless, Dan Bejar-esque vocals have taken the band in much a much more convincingly indie direction. The quartet is preparing the release of their debut LP for this summer, and you check out their new road-tested tunes March 7 at the Mohawk for a welcome home show along with Woodsboss and Crooks.

Profile: Western Ghost House

Year Formed:

Summer of 2008

Members/Instruments played:

Jesse Pantoja-Singer and Guitar.
Adrian Carrillo-Drums.
Steven Garcia-Bass and back up vocals.
Andrew Romero-Guitar

Former Bands/Side Projects:

Jesse and Adrian played together in A Bear. Steven Garcia currently plays in Mermaid Blonde. Andrew used to play in Line and Verse. Adrian currently plays in Headdress and Pack of Wolves.

Albums:

We currently have a self released EP and we our working on a full length to be released this summer.

Influences:

Velvet Underground, Leonard Cohen, Okkervill River, Townes Van Zandt, The Smiths, Lil’ Wayne.

Strangest comment or comparison ever made about your music:

Austin Sound said Jesse sounds like Jack White, and just last night someone said we sounded good….weird.

Favorite local bands:

Cartwright, Brazos, and Crooks.

Favorite local venue:

Mohawk. Great sound, especially the inside stage, and great bar staff.

Upcoming shows scheduled:

Lamberts on April 15th.

Shows over the next month that you’re excited to see:

Okkervill River and Roky Erickson, Beach House, Surfer Blood.

Some of your favorite albums from the past year:

We really like Beach House’s new record, Teen Dream. Vetiver’s Tight Knit is awesome.

Ideal band (past or present) to open for on a national tour:

It would be too obvious to say The Beatles, of course that would be amazing.

Austin Sound questions:

Y’all are touring the west coast right now, so how it’s going and what’s it like spending that much time with Crooks?

Tour has been going really well. There has been a good turnout in every city. We are actually right about to go on at The Comet Tavern in Seattle Washington. So far, the North West has treated us with nothing but support, great beer, and good people. We have known Crooks for a while and being in with each other 24 hrs a day hasn’t gotten old. In fact, most of the Members of Crooks and Western Ghost House got matching tattoos of a cactus with a mustache holding a mug of beer in one hand and a cheese burger in the other. It was inspired by the long drive through Arizona.

What’s the difference between a western ghost house and an eastern ghost house?

Andrew- “The eastern ghost house is on the wrong side of the tracks”…The rest of the band- “Twelve thousand miles”

Song Introduction:

Pale Girls. This is the first song we wrote which on our self released EP, and is the only old song that is cohesive with our newer songs. The song is about a drug induced premonition of dieing.

Sound Off:

We are really looking forward to the homecoming show at the Mohawk on the 7th. One more great show with Crooks and we are excited to be playing with Woodsboss. The northwest is great but Austin is home. Also, everyone is in store for a little surprise when you see Western Ghost House and Crooks. Here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Smatching Smhirts”.

Mp3:
Pale Girls

Website:
Myspace