Underwater Country Club (UWCC) is a Fairfield University student band that combines the classical sounds of string instruments with the electrical noise of alternative rock. Consisting of brothers Andrew and James Robinson (guitar, vocals and drums), sisters Anna and Catherine Wolk (violin and cello, back-up vocals) and The Mirror’s own staff member Martin O’Sullivan (bass guitar), the group has played numerous New Jersey street fairs and some small-time New York clubs. The Mirror sat down with the sisters of UWCC and listened to their thoughts about the band, the music industry and their experiences.
TM: How did the name come about for the band?
UWCC: We didn’t choose that name, but we adapted it. The boys said it was because the country club they worked at “went underwater.” But then we adopted it, so we’re like delinquent country club kids. We have a lot of different names.
TM: Would you say that sometimes the name would reflect the musical style of the band?
UWCC: I think it used to. It used to kinda like be pop-rock, surfer-bro in the music. Which was fun, it was happy. And now the music has changed a little bit, so it doesn’t actually go with it…which is better, because now everything is more indie-folk-rock. It’s definitely changed a lot if you compare the two records. The second record should be coming out soon.
TM: Do you find it more difficult to be accepted as musicians because you are women and college kids?
UWCC: It’s hard. It’s different. You have to be a guy, or a really butch girl, or overly sexualized…We just like being who we are, trying to weasel out way into the indie world, which I think is a little more accepting of women, more than pop. There just still is a stigma. It’s hard to explain because it’s not like, “Oh we hate women, we think girls are inferior”…This is what music does: in times of pressure…the primal, misogynist, “I’m the man, gonna take charge” idea: it happens. That’s what happens when you see people get under pressure, you see exactly who they are and they revert back to their natural instincts, and natural instincts for some people can work with others and for others girls are stupid.
TM: Besides classical music, what would identify as the musical influences of the band?
UWCC: Everyone’s all over the place. [Catherine] loves the Smiths. Morrisey is [her] god, [her] idol. So she’s very influenced by him and 60s stuff. Same thing with James [Robinson]. Andrew is influenced by James Taylor…we’re all influenced by My Chemical Romance a bit, except for Anna, she never was an emo girl. So our influences would be Arcade Fire, Smashing Pumpkins, the Smiths and the Beach Boys when it comes to harmonies.
TM: Can you guys enlighten me on your views of music?
UWCC: I say the whole institution should be abolished and built back from the ground up. I just think it’s so hard…We’re actually really young in this music industry. All of our friends in bands are like 23, 24, 25. So we’re babies.
But still, I feel a sense of urgency that this kind of music, this feeling, this vibe that is happening right now in the indie music industry is going to disappear. I feel like it is being replaced by electronic. Real music is starting to be taken over—we got a synth, so we’re preparing for the Digital Age. But like with Lana Del Rey, everything’s electronic, but then Jack White comes out with his new song and that’s back to basics, harmonies, guitar. I guess it’s just a phase.
TM: How do you guys feel about music and social media?
UWCC: Anna uses her Twitter to promote the band, and it makes people feel like they’re a part of it, because we do have some superfans. It’s also a great way to have other people who are musicians learn about you, like Surfer Blood and the Flaming Lips follow us.
Facebook is good because it shows how many fans you have. Catherine also uses Tumblr to promote the band as well. When people reblog a picture or our music, it is great advertising.
TM: Music seems to be integral to your being. Do you think you guys would continue playing with the band post-college or go out on your own?
UWCC: We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves, but we won’t be revealing them just yet. We’re going to see how Underwater Country Club goes. We always have a backup plan, we’re always writing stuff, we’re just going to settle. One of our acquaintances just left her band, Alexandra Lawn of Ra Ra Riot. It was weird to see that because they’ve been together for six years. But things change and people change, music changes so you never know what’s going to happen.
Leave a Reply