Turning up the majority of their success at last year's SXSW, the Los Angeles natives did what every emerging band attempts in the sweaty streets of Austin -- they got noticed. Noticed for their oozing harmonics and shaky rhythms, and noticed for their sincerity to soldier through this fine industry with genuine appreciation for good music. And they've leaped into our hearts, as well. Wasn't it only four months ago they played the 400 Bar? Now they're coming back to headline the Mainroom at First Avenue this Friday, October 1.

Bearing substantial success internationally, the rest of us have finally caught on to the Local Natives. Their sound is well kept, with layered guitars, synthy soothing sounds and delicate lyrics. Their folk-pop dynamic is refreshing yet classic, as with their cover of the Talking Head's "Warning Sign."

Gimme Noise had a chance to speak with Taylor Rice of Local Natives as they make their way toward the Twin Cities.

Will you be heading out to SXSW again this year, and do you think you'll need to? It seems at this point you've obtained quite a bit of success already.

No, we're doing ACL [Austin City Limits] though. 

You moved up rather quickly from SXSW to ACL.

Definitely, we did SXSW the past two years, and we did nine shows in three days, both years I think. Both South By's were extremely important for us.

Any plans for a new album? I know you're on tour, and we've already gotGorilla Manor... but we're starting to get impatient!

Well you may have to be a little bit patient -- I have no idea how we're going to finalize this. The way that we write, does take some time to finalize. We all have tons of ideas; we've been writing a lot individually on the road. The schedule has been so intense, it's really important for us to all collaborate together, and that's what I think makes our music a little bit, or at least our writing process, different from a lot of bands. If I bring a song to the table, the band will listen to it probably eight times, analyze it and remold. It's a process that none of us will be able to do on our own. 

The plan is, we have two tours left; we're doing a headlining tour this fall and that ends in New York in October. Then we go to Europe for one last tour, so by the end of the year, we're going to go home finally, and maybe play the occasional shows. But really dig in and start sharing our ideas and pull up again and really get going on the second album. 

Do you guys still own Gorilla Manor, and is that where you guys will head back to when you start recording again? 

No not really, the original "Gorilla Manor" was actually in Orange, [CA]. It was the first place we moved into together, and that's where we wrote most of the record. That was a huge turning point for the band; I think that was in 2008. And then we all moved up to LA together, and the Gorilla Manor spirit moved to this house, this is where the last few members moved out. But we've literally been on the road for a year... So we haven't discussed what exactly what we're going to do yet, but like I said it is important that we do it together so there is a slight possibility we'll consider something like that. I know we're going to need a home-base, which we'll spend a lot of time in; all of us in, writing together. 

What are your memories of playing the 400 Bar back in May? 

I will never forget -- the hottest show in my entire life. I think everyone had to throw away their clothes at the end of that show. It was amazing, we packed that place to the gills. It was awesome, I remember the backstage area is like underneath, kind of the stage of this whole basement. The chorus is going on and we're hearing people stomping, and just the energy was so awesome there. We really love going to Minneapolis, and I can't wait for the next show. 

It's really good that the fans here got to see you in that intimate setting, as sweaty as it was. And now you're coming back and you're playing the Mainroom at First Avenue. 

We've been doing festivals all summer in Europe, so we've been doing huge stages and it's obviously so different, and it's just like "Oh yeah, but going on after you is the National"... And that's your crowd. When we saw these venues that we were playing, our jaws just kind of dropped open, like awestruck we couldn't really believe that we'd be playing this big show. So yeah, there is a part of me that will miss the sweaty club, but I am also excited to be playing a legendary thing like First Ave; it's an amazing experience.  

You guys blew up fast, how does that make you feel? Worried it will fizzle out? 

It's definitely been a fast ride, I don't think it's often that a band goes from headlining shows like the 400 Bar to First Ave that fast. But actually for us it has been a little bit of a longer journey, especially with the nature of our band. We've just had the support, especially with blogs. That's really where it started being spread, and we've really had NPR stations helpful for a while. And so I think while it has spread fast, it's been very gradual for us. We've been on the road for a year and half, and that's where it feels gradual for us. But I think our fans are our real fans -- and it feels like our audience is growing, and people aren't just coming out to the shows because they heard of us as the next coolest thing. I think they're coming out because they really like the music. 

What is "Who Knows, Who Cares" really about? 

That song is a very just hard song for me personally. It's one that I originally wrote; it's actually the second oldest song on the album. "Sun Hands" is the oldest, and after that is "Who Knows, Who Cares." I actually wrote that song before we all moved to that house in Orange County. And it was just about everyone being on the cusp of really wanting to make this dream of pursuing our music work, and I and everyone in the band felt that we found people that we really loved to collaborate with, and we thought that we found something really special, moving in together and giving it everything we had. And not having any money for food, or anything; it was a sense of liberating and a feeling of giving up. I had just finished up college, and all of my friends were going off and starting new jobs that they were all excited about and I couldn't afford food. 

So it was all about making that decision, that leap of faith I guess. That kind of cliché of trusting in what you want to do, and what you're passionate about.  What's cool, it's so surreal to play it, because it's written from a place that's kind of hoping that that stupid decision would pay off. And I've played that song in Japan and all over Europe and it's taken our music and not just that song obviously, but all of our music has taken us so far this last year. This is a really amazing feeling to be doing it, and we actually just filmed the music video for "Who Knows, Who Cares" over the past few days, so I'm really excited. 

LOCAL NATIVES play with the Love Language and Union Line tomorrow night, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, at FIRST AVENUE. 18+. $15. 8 p.m.
http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2010/09/local_natives_t.php

Les Claypool, the legendary bassist and lead participant in Primus, is at this point a household alternative rock name. Surfacing in California prior to the surge of the grunge revolution, Primus had its feet wet with that whole era prior to even stepping out of the '80s. Longevity and mass appeal have kept us all listening, and their established fan bases have led Primus to continue touring and recording albums to this day. 

We should all suspect that when they come around Minneapolis on their current tour, The Oddity Faire, we'll hear the same ole' Primus that had us hooked back in the '80s and '90s. And certainly we'll be jolted with nostalgia when he indeed should, and most likely will, play "My Name is Mud".  

Gimme Noise had a chance to speak with Les Claypool of Primus prior to his Oddity Faire appearance tonight at the Orpheum. 

Let's start with your legendary Metallica audition so many years ago. The rumor is they said "You're too good, you need your own band." Is there a story behind that?

Well, I'd say, that's an untrue story... I mean James said on VH1 Behind the Music that I was just too good, but ah, he and I were hanging out quite a bit during that time when they did the VH1 interview. And I said, 'What the hell are you guys talking about, you didn't want me, you thought I was a freak!' And he just laughed. Ya know, I showed up with a bleach blonde mohawk and wearing baggy skater pants, and two different colored tennis shoes. They were all in black with tight pants and the whole bit... But they have a great guy now; they've got Robert Trujillo, who's one of the nicest guys in the business. 

    What are your thoughts on electronica? 

I have personally never dabbled in electronica, in fact in the opposite direction, I use a lot of old analog gear and everything's organic. I don't use drum machines, or even metronomes for that matter. We use plenty of distortions; when I think of electronic, not that I don't like it, but I think of loops and canned beats and what-not. That's sort of the foundation of a lot of that, and it's never been our thing, never been my thing. If anything it's more opposite, we're more primitive, more organic and analog. 

What's the story with the Question Mark on the new album? 

Well there's no question mark, there's lots of talk and we're assembling material now. We haven't started recording yet, but we plan on recording later this fall, once we're done with this tour. We're supposed to do some South American dates, so somewhere in between this tour and Christmas we should be in the studio. 

What can audiences expect from your new record and tour?

Well we just had a tour, and now we're doing the Oddity Faire, which is sort of a traveling freak show. And then we'll make an album and we'll be back out next spring and summer, so we're in the midst of it all right now. The Oddity Faire, which is, I am not sure who's on the Minneapolis bill because it changes from territory to territory, but the Oddity Faire is sort of a collection of obscure and unique musical performers as well; just artistic performers. Each show is different, each show is unique. There is an extraordinary amount of eye and oral candy to behold. 

Where do you draw inspiration from, and are those inspirations the same today as they were in the early '90s? 

We draw from everyday experiences, and as you move on the path of life and you move down the path of least resistance, as we all tend to try and do; you try and rely on what comes most natural. So everyday experience tends to be the easiest thing for me to draw from. And I would assume that's been similar for many years, but when you're younger you tend to over think things. But, 20/20 hindsight, it always shines a different perspective on things. It gives you a more subjective perspective. 

I mean look at your old high school haircut, and you go 'geez, what the heck was I thinking'. And then it comes back around, and all of a sudden you're wearing your high school haircut again. 

What is your take on your the current State of the Union, post oil spill? 

Well I am very grateful they didn't start drilling in Northern California like they were planning on doing. Being that I spend a lot of time on the ocean in Northern California. That's sort of the one little nugget we can take away from this BP experience is that it should tighten regulations and slow down this desire to go and be reckless off of our coastlines. 

I am just waiting for them to design the vehicle that runs on tortillas so we don't have to rely on any of this stuff. 

Do you drive a hybrid? 

I drove one yesterday, it was a rental vehicle. And I didn't realize that when you pull the key out of it, it doesn't shut off. So I came out of a store yesterday, and it was still running [chuckles]. 

Are you aware there is a whole sub-culture that refers to you as Uncle Les?

I didn't know that. I hope that's a good thing. I enjoy being Uncle. 

PRIMUS play tonight, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, at the ORPHEUM THEATRE. All ages. $35. 7:30 p.m.
http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2010/10/les_claypool_of.php

Currently, Jason has three top 10 singles in the US ("Watcha Say," "In My Head," "Ridin' Solo"), and was even nominated as Best New Artist at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. 

Beginning his career as early as age 8, Jason first began writing songs for such artist as Sean Kingston, Cassie and even P. Diddy. He's well-formed in all aspects of theater and arts, graduating from American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Derülo isn't your A-typical young-pop star; he's well-rounded, educated and concentrates on using emotion and energy in every aspect of his performing. His persona comes off as a man that knows exactly what he wants, and his maturity and talent affirms he is wiser than his years.

Gimme Noise had the chance to speak with Jason Derulo prior to his show tonight at First Avenue. 

What artists did you listen to growing up?

Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince... I grew up in a performing arts school, so my music tastes are a lot different. The stuff I had to study... I was exposed to a lot more.

What was it like growing up in Miami as a child? And what inspired you to get your feet off the ground and do what you're doing? 

Growing up in Miami was cool; ya know there are a lot of beautiful women in Miami [laughing]... But I started singing when I was 5 years old when I saw Michael Jackson for the first time. And I went to performing art school's where I studied classical music, and learned how to read music, learned how to write music, I learned ballet and tap, I learned musical theater and Shakespeare. I wanted to become a constant performer, and to become a constant performer you have to study all kinds of performing so that you can implement all kinds of that into what you do. I think that I began to capture all different kinds of bands in what I do, a little of the classical music, and how it helps me with breathing, dancing and singing at the same time. So I pulled from a lot of things, and that's what helped me be who I am today. 

You're only 21, right? 

I'm 21, yeah, but I've always thought that I had made it when I was much, much younger. So I to hear people say that I'm "only 21" it's kind of crazy to me, and I know, I know it is young but I've wanted to do this for so long. And it's like I am already a veteran in the game; I've been a song writer for people in the industry since I was 16, so now that it's finally happened, I feel like a veteran. 

You'll be playing First Avenue; you know the legend of Prince and First Avenue don't you? 

Yes I did, that's the place where he picked up his chops. 

How does that make you feel?

[Laughing] I think I've played a few places where he's played.

Well, there are not many places where he hasn't played, so I guess it's not tough to do.

I think his goal was to play on every single stage that there is, and I'll be doing a Prince cover when I get there...

No really, I think you should. 

Just for Minneapolis though. 

What is your ultimate goal in this industry? 

There's no 'ultimate' goal, but I aim to inspire, I aim to change the world with my music. I want to continue on this same path of hunger. A lot of people become complacent with the success that they've acquired, and I don't want to become like that. I want to continue on the same path I'm on now, and have the goals that I had two years ago; to do that you have to keep on setting goals for yourself. As for an ultimate goal, I don't know that there's an ultimate goal, but to always grow. I'm going to have my feet on the ground and continue to grow until my show is something that the world has never seen before, until my music is something that the world has never before. So to continue on the same path would be a dream come true to me. 

What should we expect when you play here in Minneapolis? 

Expect individual. I like to make my stuff, my own stuff ya know? I don't pull from anyone else. It's a high energy show with more dancing, more dancing than anyone's seen me do yet which is really exciting. It's a sexy show; it gets really steamy on stage, lots of skin. It's a show with heightened emotion, which I think is the most important. It will take you from your highest high, to your lowest low of sadness. It's not a stand-up and sing show, it's a show that is visually candy, really. Lots of costume changes, four costume changes to be exact; it's really cool, you get a chance to see my fashion and how I move through it. 

JASON DERULO plays with Auburn tonight, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, at FIRST AVENUE. All ages. $25. 6 p.m.
http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2010/10/jason_derulo_co.php

But in a moment, you understand it, it breaths into you like the most recent break-up you've had to endure. It finally feels like someone understands that you've been dished the lesser half. So if it isn't for the great dynamic of assorted genres, and the likability of their catchy songs, it's about the perception heart-wrenching emotion. 

The Script might have taken some time to hit the United States, but luckily we eventually caught on to what the U.K. has been hailing about.

Their debut album, The Script, has three standout singles: "Breakeven," "The Man Who Can't be Moved," and "Before the Worst". Oddly enough, this album was released back in 2008, yet it seems we were farther behind than most realized; "Breakeven" became an absolute hit just this past summer. Seemingly before we knew it, they have released another album, Science & Faith, which they are touring in support of this fall. 

Where are you today?

I am in California now just sitting on the tour bus, organizing my clothes and stuff like that getting ready to get into the show now and get ready for sound check.

One thing that I noticed, is that the album, the self-titled album came out in 2008, but interestingly enough, "Breakeven" just made it big on the radio this past summer. And now "The Man Who Can't Be Moved." Is there a reason for the lag? 

I think it's the fact that America is so big that it takes a lot longer for a band to get their music into the consciousness of America; so it's just taken longer for us to get around when we started catching on here in the states. And we just went to go on tour and it's so big that some days you'll wake up and you're still on the road, and when you're over here in the U.K. you wake up and you're at the venue. I just think the fact that it's so big here; it takes that extra bit of touring for a band to get known. Luckily, our music has been so good that when it gets in them, they share that with their friends and their family. So that's been more than out than in. We've been really busy touring, we've really got the hatch off and gotten around and played everywhere we could. It's really nice to come back now this time and do a headlining tour and hear the fans sing the songs back to us. We never imagined that we'd get this far from home. 

All I know is that "Breakeven" was just everywhere and whether I liked it and wanted to hear it or not, I learned all of the words. 

[Laughing] There ya go, you don't have a choice! And that's the great thing about that song; it just connected so well with everybody that was really the calling-card for us. That's what really kick started everything for us. And now people actually know, here we are in America. I think the next major thing now is getting everybody out to show everyone we're a very real band, we're an actual entity. We're a career band, we're not in this for one or two albums, and this is our life.  

Your sound is quite different; I get this hip-hop, R&B vibe, pop-rock... How do you conceive so many genres into one clump of music? Is it based on your influences?

I think a lot of it has to do with the people actually in the band. I think Danny and Mark worked all the way in America for something like eight years, in production and stuff like that. So I think they picked up very much so on the R&B and the hip-hop.

I come more from a rock background and I think that we all have different styles and we put the three of us in a room together and we have a jam. I think that comes out inherently, you can't help that mix happening. But again I think we were looking at our frozen standard of what this band was, and we basically came up with a demo --the first song that we did was "Before the Worst". We recognized the sound on that, and like what you're talking about, there's a lot of different elements. So we were like, okay, how are we going to write long music, and try and capture the essence of that again and it took a while, but it look at it, we did. Once you find who you are, it's really easy to be in a band, and that's exactly what its amounted too, and if you change anyone in that mix you're going to get a different sound. 

To speak of "Breakeven" again, [because it's everywhere] the first time I heard the song, it made me happy-- dance-to kind of stuff. Much like "Before the Worst" because it's got so much going on in it, but then you listen to the lyrics and you realize, wow this is actually kind of sad. 

Yeah I know it's a duality in that song. 

But that's what is great about it; you can make a sad moment or a sad thing in your life or whatever about the song, and interpret it in the way anybody wants to interpret it. 

I think that's the miracle of a great song, of any great song, is to write a song that everyone can relate to at anytime in their life. Be it looking back at the past, or into the future, or anytime of their life. That's why that's song has really hit everybody in their hearts, because it's a true representation of what it's like to go through that at that time. Because it really is true, there's always one person left with the lesser half.  

Now how long exactly have you guys been at this thing? 

We met up in 2004, and we started seriously when we realized we have something here. In 2005 is when we formed the band, and prior to that you're looking at another 10-15 years we were all trying different things separately. Then we all met up in 2004 and said "wait a minute, this is something we have, and this is what we've been looking for" and it kind of went from there. 

So are you right now living the dream, or are you not there yet?

Oh no we're in the dream, the dream is real and we are living the dream. We are definitely 100% in the dream, the great thing about The Script is, we've never arrived-- for us it's the journey. Even when we think we've gotten to where we want to get to, we see another mountain we want to go and climb. I think the beauty of it is now is we're touring on a National level, which is the dream. No matter how big it gets, this is always going to be our life, we're always going to be building, traveling and touring. So this is the dream, we're there; we're actually at the dream. When we get to go on stage and play in front of people that actually want to go and see us, and they're excited when we come out on stage that's the dream. 

When we started this band and the first gig was in Ireland at a place called the Dublin, and we played to 54 people that didn't know the words to the song, didn't know who we were. Just to put it into perspective, three weeks ago we put tickets on sale for our Irish tour, and one of the dates is going to be at an arena called the 02 Arena which holds like 12,000. And they had to put an extra two nights on because the demand was so high. We sold out three nights of that arena, and in less than 40 minutes we broke a record in the box-office there. 

So to look at where we've come from that first gig with 54 people to being able to come out the back with that much power, it's very homely. And it just goes to show that when you get the ingredients right and you put the hard work in it pays off. 

THE SCRIPT perform tonight, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, at the STATE THEATRE. $28. 8 p.m.
http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2010/10/the_scripts_gle.php

But you know what? It's safe to admit it. No really, it is. Maroon 5 isn't your typical genre of pop; they have a conceptual way of blending all the things we love about music. With aspects of funk, R&B, and rock 'n' roll, Adam Levine's pliable vocals uniquely display the pains and desperation of that heart-on-sleeve lyrical content that we can all relate to. 

The band just released their third album, Hands All Over, in September, and are on a tour now. Gimme Noise had a chance to speak with keyboardist Jesse Carmichael of Maroon 5 prior to their performance tomorrow night at the Target Center. 

(Before I even had a chance to begin my interview, Jesse Carmichael Keyboardist of Maroon 5 had another idea...)

I can give you this interview without you even saying one word; I can tell you everything that you want to put in your City Pages publication. Unless... you can tell me there was something unexpected that you were going to ask me?

You probably do a lot of press, huh? 

You gotta' get personal, you gott'a look into their Wikipedia pages and ask, what is this person been doing, what's your entry point. Like look into it, is this person into Yoga? Talk about what this person's interest is in yoga. And then I'll be like, whoa, Cindal! I'm interested in what I'm asking now I can really talk to you, as opposed to giving you some sound bite. 

Are you into yoga? 

No I hate yoga! No just kidding I really am into yoga, I love yoga. I see that we are talking about the Minneapolis dates, at the Target Center, but anyway, I would really like to say that Ry Cuming is a really good friend of mine (he's opening), he's a great musician, and he's got a great soul. One Republic are great guys as well, they'll be playing before us as well. So it's a great bill for our fans. 

I also think something our fans should know is that we're more excited for this tour than we've been for any other tour ever before! Because we've got this full-on, breath of fresh air, burst of energy when we started preparing for this tour. When we went back and started to remix some of our old songs, and came up with some cool covers. We have some cool ideas for the show. And we started playing with a guy named PJ Morton, who is a piano player and singer from New Orleans; his musicianship and soulfulness really revitalizes the band. We're already started to tour on the East coast, and now the album is out and I think it's going to be a lot more fun to the people in the audience to see the new songs. Everything has a good feeling about. Twitter has really changed the way we feel about touring. 

Do you know off the top of your head how many awards you've actually won? 

Umm No, 7, I'll say 7, that's my guess. I have no idea, how many...? 

I think that's about right. 

That's a very interesting aspect of the world that we live in, because for me it's like it's very separate from how successful we feel internally, whether or not we win awards. And I think it's the same for everybody, where like, you're own critical voice is the most important thing that reads. When you do that it doesn't matter what else happens, and when you don't do that, it also doesn't matter what else happens. So ask me how many internal-mind Grammys I've won? 

How many? 

I don't know, I think about this all the time -- 9 or 11.

See the way I see it, if you think you've reached success, and if you think you've done your best, than you'll never grow to keep doing better. 

That's a good way of saying it, I agree with you completely. 

    I'm sorry, but what are you listening to there?

Ah, Ella Fitzgerald Christmas Carols.

Are you serious?

I am so serious. 

What do you think of the current state of music?

I am a very optimistic person, I believe that there are silver linings found in everything and I guess that implies that there are a lot of gray clouds too. So I am just focused on the future, I am not focused on what is right now in the music. I am thinking of what kind of music is going to make me happy in the future. And that's the kind of music I am going to try and make. So it's going to be pure, and I hope that everyone is always trying to do things from a pure place, and if they're not doing that, then I hope they start to do that. 

Who is your all-time favorite artist? Not your influence, but your favorite.

It's like different pieces of the whole puzzle, yah know, I love whatever Bob Dylan has ever done - on one side of things. And Radiohead, and Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Robbins. And as far as everybody else, on lots of different sides of the spectrum. I love Kanye West, and John Lennon. 

I guess I like people who are true to themselves, that's like the thing I would say across the board. People who also can communicate that very personal thing in a very universal way; it's an amazing thing to be able to do. Like I just saw a picture of John Lennon's apartment after he'd been killed, and the people that filled the streets and it was just insane. 

Have you ever been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? 

I went a couple years ago, but I also went to the Rock and Roll Induction last year and sang with Graham Nash & the Hollies, with Adam [Levine]. We were filling in for the two other Hollies that weren't able to make it. It was a blast!  What brought that to your mind? 

Well I was just there, and I saw a bunch of John Lennon's artifacts, did you know that Yoko Ono was the one that actually provided the Hall of Fame all of his stuff?

She's rad, they're all rad! I mean I was just reading a bunch of interviews about and with John Lennon in this big compilation. When they were first getting started with their peace-protest they were real fucking brave experimentalists for doing the things that they did. Just they're whole thing, like the whole idea of wanting to shake people up and get them out of their comfort zones. So exciting, and I just really appreciate what they did. 

John is just a totally fearless man, putting him and Yoko naked on the cover of the music that they made, the first night that hung out together. I don't know can you imagine anybody who's a famous pop-star today doing a cover of themselves naked on their album? 

OH YEAH?! They're not naked, that's tasteful. But what I am talking about is just personal, have nothing to hide behind - see me standing full-frontal nudity. 

Well today, that would be completely insane and totally illegal. 

Right and it already happened back in 1969, so why haven't we continued that tradition of bravery? How have we gone backwards in our world? 

Because it would be done distastefully, that's how our society thinks. 

No but that's really sort of a cynical way to paint it with a broad stroke. We could do whatever we want. You and I could put pictures of ourselves completely naked on our Myspace accounts; we haven't yet right? 

When does this happen? 

New Years Eve Midnight 2011! It's no-fear year, and everybody is going to post a picture of themselves, stark naked, standing in front of harsh fluorescent lights with a white background. This is what I'm saying we have to form a collective movement, strength in numbers. 

MAROON 5 play with Ry Cuming and OneRepublic on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, at the TARGET CENTER. All ages. $29-$65. 7:30 p.m.