The dog days of summer were built for bands like The New Mastersounds. Their overall sound – something straight out of ’60s and ’70s funk – is jammy and twisted in all the right ways, perfect for that needed second wind or backyard BBQ pick-me-up when the buzz is starting to fade. Their new album, Breaks From the Border, reminds me of something classic, like it was recorded in a time before iPods, iPhones, Pro Tools, MacBooks, and/or Lady Gaga. Here, listen for yourself:
To celebrate the release of Breaks From the Border, we asked Eddie Roberts, The New Mastersounds’ guitarist and producer, to take part in our Hometowns series. While Roberts concedes that he doesn’t miss anything from home while he’s touring, he still loves his hometown. Enjoy!
How does your hometown or home state influence your music?
I was born and raised ’til age 10 in Swansea, which is a city in Wales, UK of probably around 300,000 people. Music is a big part of Welsh culture; (it was) encouraged by my parents, (and) also highly encouraged in school. Please note – there are 4 ‘states’ in the UK: England, Scotland, Ireland, and WALES.
Have you ever wished you were from someplace different than your hometown? Why or why not?
No, and although I would never actually want to move back there, the memories of the first 10 years of my life are golden.
If you had 24 hours to go back to your hometown tomorrow, what would you do? Talk me through the the spots that you’d visit and why.
First off, I would go to my old house, just to feel it. I’ve never been back inside, only passed by; going inside would actually be really nice – I’m an old romantic. I would then visit my old neighbours, who I believe still live there. After that I would take a trip just out of the city to a small peninsula called “the Gower” where I spent as many of my weekends as possible. It’s completely unspoiled and surrounded by beaches and rustic cliffs, reminds me of some of the coastline north of San Francisco (probably one of the reasons I’ve chosen to live there). I’d then go for a drink in a pub or bar in an area on the sea front called “the Mumbles” (it’s where Catherine Zeta Jones comes from!). I have no idea what it’s like these days, but I’m sure I could find a decent pint of Welsh beer!
Tell us something unique about your hometown that we can’t find on Wikipedia.
That it rains all the flippin’ time!