The members of the pop-rock group Sugarcult and singer-songwriter William Tell have had an interesting opportunity the past couple weeks: playing opener to hip-hop artist Talib Kweli. The unlikely billing for the Virgin College Mega Tour, which hits College Park tomorrow, has the trio of artists trekking across the country for a total of 18 college shows throughout April and May.
Both Marco DeSantis of Sugarcult and William Tell agreed that while the tour’s lineup is not conventional, it’s actually been a blessing in disguise.
“It’s awesome to go on a college-aimed bill, because it can be so diverse and you have the opportunity to play to different crowds,” Tell said of the mix of hip-hop and pop-rock on the tour.
“At college you naturally want to open up and unlock your mind,” agreed DeSantis. “There’s definitely two crowds that come to these shows: one for Tell and us, and the other for Talib. And maybe they don’t expect it, but maybe we can make believers out of those who just came to see Talib, and vice versa.”
Both openers tomorrow are currently exploring uncharted territory. With his previous band, the piano-driven pop-punk group Something Corporate, on permanent hiatus, Tell is looking to find solo success. For the first time since his pre-SoCo days, Tell said, he has been able to showcase his own singing and song-writing on his new album, You Can Hold Me Down.
As the rhythm guitarist for Something Corporate, Tell enjoyed all the success he garnered, yet felt he wasn’t doing the thing that got him into music in the first place – writing and singing his own music, he said.
“After a while, I missed writing and singing and doing all those things I had been doing,” Tell said. “Even the guys in the band knew I would eventually leave to go do my own thing.”
Tell’s risky decision to leave the band in 2004 finally paid off in 2007 with the release of his new 10-track album. Like his days with his former bandmates, Tell is clearly comfortable playing pop-oriented rock songs about love, pain and learning to enjoy life. Songs like the single “Fairfax (You’re Still the Same)” and “Slipping Under (Sing Along to Your Favorite Song)” are enjoyable and easy-going anthems of a laid-back California lifestyle.
“In many ways, my classic rock tastes still play the biggest influence on me,” Tell said in explanation of his style. “Bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys and stuff like that. I actually need to stop listening to all other modern music and focus when I’m doing my own songwriting.
“I’m kind of bored of the music I have now, anyway,” he added. “At this point, now that I’m done recording, I’m kind of on a music binge – looking for inspiration and just looking for more and more and more.”
The members of Sugarcult are also encountering new experiences. With the help of a cover of the Beatles’ hit “A Hard Day’s Night,” the band has become a hit – in Japan.
“We’re huge in Japan actually; something just clicked with them over there,” DeSantis explained, clearly still confused about it himself. “They asked us to do ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ cover for a Toyota commercial. When the commercial came out, the car didn’t sell at all, but people were call[ing] to ask about us. So we released it as a single, and it turns out to be our biggest hit.”
While Tell never really had to say goodbye to his SoCo buddies – drummer Brian Ireland played on the record and helped produce it, while SoCo frontman Andrew McMahon, currently of Jack’s Mannequin, played piano on some tracks – Sugarcult also continues to promote its new album. Their third studio release, Lights Out, hit stores last year and continues Sugarcult’s strides toward a cohesive yet individual sound in the pop-punk world.
“We’ve always been the lone wolf in that music scene, outside the cool circle; they let us in a little bit, let us join the Warped Tour,” DeSantis said.
But being separate from the pack can also have its advantages, he added.
“It lets us exist on our own, as opposed to under some umbrella buzzword or genre,” DeSantis said.
As for that Beatles cover?
“We mostly just play it in Japan,” DeSantis added, “but we recorded a couple Tokyo shows that we’ll probably release on DVD or CD. We’re not sure yet.”
In conjunction with CMJ, Tell, Sugarcult and Talib Kweli will play at Cole Field House tomorrow. The show begins at 7 p.m., and tickets range from $10 to $15 for students or $15 to $20 for non-students.
Before the concert, live, in-studio interviews will happen at WMUC Radio. Tell will be in the studio at 2 p.m. for an interview and in-studio acoustic set, and Sugarcult will be in the studio at 6 p.m. for an interview. Listen at wmucradio.com or 88.1-FM in College Park.
Contact reporter Adam Z. Winer at
awiner42@umd.edu.
