Navy Gangs
Catching up with Navy Gangs; press photo courtesy of the band.
The art of harmony & dissonance is a very delicate balance. Consider the plight of today’s scuzz-wielders who spend their days rehearsing song sketches through the questionable amplifiers in the hopes of discovering the perfect teeter-tottering balance of cleverly crafted chords & rhythm designs that are all wrapped up together in the cloak of distortion. Deep in the heart of the red light district of Omaha, Nebraska; meet Navy Gangs’ own Matthew Tillwick, Noah Kohll, Gavin Cordaro & Wilson Keithline continue a tradition they began during their time at Central High School where the band’s primal cues stemmed from part time jobs working at their local Henry Doorly Zoo. This enabled an adventure for the gang to stay with Noah’s grandma Estelle in NYC where the big city influences & inspirations would set the stage for the style & sound of everything Navy Gangs are all about.
With the following premiere presentations of Navy Gangs’ Brookes Blalock video for “Special Glands”, watch the band gorging on chili while strumming out a constant hit parade of skronk-laden hooks. Found off their Delicate Steve mixed & mastered debut album available September 14 from No Roads, Navy Gangs sport their finest shades & shredding skills while hanging on a roof, lounging about at home, aimlessly loitering about the sidewalks & above all making the most of a sunny summer afternoon. “Special Glands” pays a tip of the hat tribute to all of our collective special organs & their corresponding secretions while the band proceeds to lather one another up with chili direct from the can. Fun with masks & Tinder matches make for a zany good time as the gang gets down to their blazing bonfire of collected chords & arrangements. The lo-fi/no-fi mentality remains strong as the smooth, silky FM radio sheen is a forgone in the name of creating ear-worm progressions that burrow their way into those special crevices in the ear & mind that never fully escape the archives of memory. Read our interview with Navy Gangs immediately after the following video debut for “Special Glands”.
Take us to your earliest memories from back in 2012 at Central High School which we were told is in the red light district of Omaha…how did you all strike up a bond?
Well, the funny thing about Omaha is that red tinted lights are banned almost entirely. McDonald’s is the only establishment that is excluded from the mandate. The Omaha red light district is in fact referred to as a red light district, while in reality, that mother is lit up all orange. Prostitutes and dancers dress in construction gear; goggles, vests and hard hats… all worn to attract the locals. I (Gavin) actually met Noah at a Skrillex concert in the eighth grade. We shared a water bottle, got mono together and were simultaneously nursed back to health by a goat’s motherly milk…she was hidden back in the bushes behind Sokol Auditorium… Matt hates Skrillex.
Did the music get in the way of schooling, as we heard that you all failed miserably in your junior years.
No.
How did the experience of working at Henry Doorly zoo impact you all creatively if at all?
We watched a load of tigers shred raw cold cuts of Omaha steaks. Ever wonder where primal rock energy originates? Get a job.
Describe the meaning behind your moniker Navy Gangs.
Camping with the intention of staying up until the sun rises is really just lounging, but with too much equipment…take all that equipment and multiply it by a billion? Load it onto a ship? Ya got yourself a fleet. Call it a navy? Got a problem with organized crime?
A conversation with Navy Gangs; press photo courtesy of the band.
Interested in hearing stories about working with Delicate Steve on your debut. Any favorite stories you all care to share from the studio?
I don’t really remember recording any of this, to be honest. Think he’s gonna help us record the next one…maybe we’ll take some notes.
We want all the behind-the-scenes gory gossip on the making of your video for “Special Glands” with Brookes Blalock.
I had a mental breakdown that day and wasn’t in any of that business. Guess you’re asking the wrong member. While they dumped canned chili all over their slender bodies, I clinched the sheets in Matt’s room, focused on my breath, and swallowed a tooth. Everything you need to know is in the video.
What’s next for the Navy Gang gang?
Support our cash-cow so we can make mind melding tape skrom…we wanna put out a hip hop album and an anime series. We’re also trying to get funding for our slasher flick that’s based on Len’s “Steal my Sunshine”. Aside from cruisin’ on our Vespas, we’re just gonna keep poachin’ licks and bruises.
Top three things you all are obsessed with right now?
Torsos, gazebos and traffic cones. Can I have a fourth? Pickled eggs.
Navy Gangs’ debut will be available September 14 from No Roads.
