EL TEN ELEVEN Interview (The Roxy Theatre)
“In 7th Heaven With El Ten Eleven”
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Kristian and Tim of El Ten Eleven before they played at the Roxy in Los Angeles.
In the pantheon of great two piece bands (Quasi, White Stripes, etc.) El Ten Eleven is probably my favorite. While their studio albums are excellent, what really blew me away was seeing them perform last December at SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo, California. Since seeing them live I’ve been, dare I say, a bit “obsessed” with the band and eager to catch up with them for a more in-depth conversation about their music. The energy and sound coming from these two lads easily rivals that of any 5-member band. The percussive power of Tim’s drumming is hypnotic, as is Kristian’s ability to use his double-knecked guitar, switching adeptly between 6-string guitar and 4-string bass and looping the chords into an increasingly progressive smorgasbord of sound. For a band that is purely instrumental, there is a certain “lyricism” and purity to their music that would probably be diluted were there to be any vocals.
I challenge anyone to see El Ten Eleven live and not find themselves automatically and uncontrollably moving their body in response to the sweet sound emanating from these two. Coming from someone who is rarely seen “dancing”, this is one of the highest compliments this author can give.
For all the latest info on the band and their upcoming projects, check out www.elteneleven.com
Jason Reed
Inner Edge Music