Meet the band: The Kickaways

The Kickaways, who played at the Brink Festival this fall, perform at MOTR on Mondays in December. (Credit: Graham Lienhart | Metromix file)

Members: Jake Ittel, bass; Adam Lambchop, drums and sometimes guitar; Austin McMahan guitar, vocals; Devyn Avi Glista guitar
Hometown: Cincinnati and Dayton
Latest Project: working on the debut album "Desert Days"
Sounds like: '60s/'70s influenced garage flavored with psychedelia and R&B

Composed of a couple of childhood friends, The Kickaways have officially been a band for only about 10 months and only played a handful of live shows, one of which was in a basement. Still, despite their neophyte stage, this group is pretty sure they are going to be one of the best you’ve heard in a long time.

Considering that Dan McCabe, one of the organizers of the MidPoint Music Festival and long-time member of the local music scene, has just given them residency at his MOTR Pub, chances are good that they’re right.

We spoke to lead singer and guitarist Austin McMahan, who despite being sick powered through the interview like a trouper.  

How did the band get together?
I was in the desert for a little while in February last year—about 10 months ago, and when I got back, I met them for some Skyline [laughs], and we had a lot of songs. I mean all four of us had been together our whole lives, grew up together. Then just dropped out of college, and the sensible thing to do, being 19 and young was play some loud wild music. We started playing together more and recorded an album this summer.

So who writes the songs?
A lot of things were written in Wickenberg, Ariz., but, you know, the songs needed a band. I guess I kind of bring an idea and lyrics and they all make it sound good and the way it should. They make it all sound the way it does in my head. It’s a very collaborative thing.

Where did you record the album?
In a parent’s basement in Dayton, in about a 10-feet, 15-feet circle—hung some blankets in a concrete unfinished basement, and stayed there for the summer, and recorded that in about four days. All live, just mic-ed it up and said, go.

What are your songs about? And what are your favorites?
They are about a lot of, uh, [laughs] women and drugs, is what it’s about. Not being able to do drugs and not being able to get women [laughs] is what it’s about. That’s the inspiration.

So it’s an album of longing?
Yeah, in a poetic sense I guess it’s an album of longing for things or not longing for things. ... But some of our favorite ones are the ones we play live from this first album.

What are your plans for this unreleased album?
Well we have talked a lot about it, doing some work with Ric Hordinsky at The Monastery. He produced the Pomegranates’ last album and is a close friend of Mark, who recorded and mixed our album. We’re not really sure what to do with the album just yet. We might hold on to it and play around until more than 10 people know who we are [laughs].

In your own words how would you describe your sound.
Now we're getting deep. Everyone brings their own thing to the table and that’s very vital to our band. I feel like it’s one of those balls of rubber bands and it’s all wrapped in a bunch of different colors and it comes together. We had no idea how we sounded until we heard our recording. It’s just very energetic and young. Young is probably the best way to describe it. It’s a little naïve. It has dreams and goals, but most of all it’s just young.

What do you do when you’re not working on the band?
Some of us go to school and have jobs, but we probably drink a lot of coffee and listen to records. None of us party, so really we’re bored a lot of the time. I think we’re very different from a lot of bands, we sit around in coffee shops all day and not bars. None of us are 21 either.

How do you drink your coffee and what have records have you been listening to?
Very black and as strong as possible. As far as records, I just ordered "Keep on Your Mean Side" by The Kills. I’m a big fan of The Kills. We listen to a lot of Wilco. I think that’s our biggest band influence. I mean, our biggest band influence is bands that don’t sound anything like us. Like our drummer loves Prince and Pearl Jam, and horrible bands like that. Devyn and I listen to a lot of country influenced things that don’t sound like us at all.