By: Shayla Lee
Whether you are looking for some serious old school rock vibes or you live on the west coast and you’re looking for a show to go to, Swimsuit Issue is a band that you want to keep your eyes on. Fronted by Trash Talk’s Dave Gagliardi and male model Miles Garber, the Los Angeles-based band fuses sounds of classic rock while still feeling fresh and new.
This week they are hitting the road with Cat Pierce on a tour across the west coast which includes seven stops. In anticipation for their tour, we had the chance to catch up with Swimsuit Issue and they hinted at what fans can expect from their upcoming live performances and they shared their musical influences and road trip essentials. They’re also really funny which makes them even cooler.
FEMME RIOT Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves? How was Swimsuit Issue formed?
Swimsuit Issue: We are a group of male musicians from Los Angeles and New York. Our heights range from 5’7”-6’1” and our median age is around 28 depending on the presence of Hank who is only 23 which skews that down to about 25-6.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
Our music is generally recorded in .wav (RIFF) audio file format. Usually it is cut at 16-bit, 44.1kHz although most streaming platforms that our music is heard through compress to 256kbps anyway. We are always happy to provide lossless files upon request, you guys are all missing so much frequency.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Great question. As far as musicals go we’re all big Rogers & Hammerstein fans. South Pacific is a go-to listen when we’re all together. Sondheim is also a classic, but a little less consistent in our experience.
Look Now’ has been streamed over 100,000 times on Spotify! This song definitely belongs on a 90s radio station. Why did you decide to release ‘Look Now’ as your debut track?
We finished ‘Look Now’ first so we figured since it was our first song that the subsequent ones couldn’t possibly be any worse. So lead with a dud, that way no one’s expectations are dashed when you follow it up with more of the same.
I love ‘EP3!’ It sounds like old-school classic rock and I really connected with the opening lyrics “Here at home again, burning candles at both ends” because I tend to give a lot of myself and don’t know when to stop. Can you tell us more about this track and the inspiration behind it?
Thanks! We are reluctant to really delve into the meaning behind our songs, but to make a long story short it’s Netflix.
In your interview with W Magazine, you explained that the first show you played was in Philly opening for Cat Power. On May 13th you will be embarking on a tour with another Cat, Cat Pierce! This must feel surreal. What can fans expect from this tour?
Cat is our good friend, and we are all looking forward to this tour. We’ve never toured as a band before, so I think it’ll be good to get to hone in a live show a little more than we have had a chance to in the past.
What songs are essential to your touring road trip playlist?
Megadeth, Eliza Doolittle, Power Trip, and Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast.
I want to thank Swimsuit Issue for taking the time to answer these questions for us! If Cat Pierce and Swimsuit Issue are playing a show near you, you can snag tickets here. You can also stay up to date with the band by following them on Instagram. Check out their tour dates and listen to ‘EP3’ and ‘Look Now’ below!
FEMME RIOT 