Hounds Below New Song

The Hounds Below just returned from SXSW and are gearing up for their summer tour in the UK. To rev up for this tour they have released a new song and they plan to release a few more singles before heading across the pond. They have fine-tuned their lineup and the band now features William Shattuck on drums, Adam Michael Lee Padden on bass, Matthew Hoffman on guitar and Jason Stollsteimer on guitar and vocals. If you haven't seen them live, you'll recognize Jason from The Von Bondies and the others are a bunch of 22/23 year old hotties. The Hounds Below are not only fun to listen to, but are fun to look at. 

We asked Jason to reflect on this year's SXSW and send the new song over so that we could share it with you. Take a look at what Jason had to say about his 8th visit to the famous festival and his thoughts on local music in general. I am very excited to have this band representing Michigan and putting the rock city back into Detroit.


SXSW 2013 Through the Eyes of A Midwest Boy

Over the course of being a full-time touring musician many things become a yearly ritual. CMJ, EU/UK tours, running out of time to sleep, truck stop habits, realizing just how nasally our Michigan accents really are compared to the rest of the world and finally, SXSW, which is one of my favorites.

People have praised and criticized the annual event since it's birth over 20 years ago. I for one take it for what it is, a great excuse to play a bunch of shows in a short amount of time for old friends that live everywhere across this big blue planet and nothing more. Yes, bands have been "discovered" at SXSW, but as of late it's become more of a place for tech/label/new media people to go and party and spend what allowance the higher ups have allowed them. Basically, a "rock and roll" vacation of sorts.

SXSW 2013 was a bit different for me compared to the last 8 times I have played it. It was a potluck of Michigan talent if you will. In all the years I have gone, I've never seen so many eager and fresh faced Michigan based bands in Austin. Passalacqua, Phantasmagoria, Jessica Hernandez and The Deltas, Cold Men Young, The Sights, James Linck, Duende, FLASHCLASH and Jamaican Queens. It was great seeing so much talent from my home state being represented on such a large stage. Keep in mind SXSW is not a place for the music hobbyists, the weekend warriors and the faint of heart to take a shot at making it big. It's a place for the true romantics of the vibrantly loud art of making music.

-Jason Sollsteimer

~S