The Thrills quickly hit the pop heights; now, all they have to do is adjust to the surroundings
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
May 5, 2005
There are many paths to the top of the music industry's rocky mountaintop. A lucky few stumble into a record deal and immediate exposure, others toil for years wearing pink tuxedos while playing the Tic-Tock Lounge on the Jersey Shore before finding an audience.
Chances are Maroon5 never unwillingly wore pink tuxedos, but they did take a winding path to the top. After beginning their careers as Kara's Flowers in September 1995 while finding regional success in L.A.'s music scene, the boys in Maroon5 survived a name change and a record-label switch to score huge success with 2002's "Songs About Jane."
For the Irish quintet the Thrills, just two years after forming in 2001, the band scored a record deal with Virgin and released a critically acclaimed debut with 2003's "So Much for the City."
For lead singer Conor Deasy, the sudden change of fortunes for the band didn't come without its own trials and tribulations.
"It's a very strange process, because in some ways you've gone from zeroes to heroes," said Deasy during a concert stop in Milwaukee. "One minute, you're just another band throwing your demo tapes around like any other band, and the next thing you know you've got a deal.
"On the other hand, you're conscious of the fact that there's so much to play for. You've got so much to prove. You know how fleeting that moment can be. So many bands get dropped in the blink of an eye, especially with all the hype and hot air that surrounds debut albums these days.
"We very much live in the era of the debut album. If it doesn't happen immediately, it can be pretty rough on a band."
The Thrills
Lineup:
Daniel Ryan – guitar
Padraic McMahon – bass
Conor Deasy – vocals
Kevin Horan – keyboards
Ben Carrigan – drums
Discography:
"Let's Bottle Bohemia" (2004, Virgin)
"So Much for the City" ( 2003, Virgin)
TALES OF SAN DIEGO:
The Thrills lead singer, Conor Deasy, spent much of the 30-minute interview telling tales about past experiences and the current tour, showing his Irish storytelling roots. Here are a few of the shorter tales he told:
On Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, a notorious drinker, drying out in San Diego (the Thrills lived behind Taang! Records in Mission Beach during their stay here):
"Above Taang! Records was this empty, vacant apartment that was used for a whole number of different things. Even during our few months there, it changed from a souvenir shop to a fast food joint.
"At one point, it was rented out to people who ran a detox clinic, and he told us that Shane MacGowan once stayed there. But unfortunately, the temptation – being so close to the Mexican border – meant that he didn't stay on the straight and narrow for too long. The term 'from the frying pan and into the fire' might come to mind."
On living in San Diego before recording the debut record "So Much for the City":
"So when we picked San Diego, we were just thinking of the beaches and the weather in California. It didn't seem like an obvious choice. I guess a lot of people would go to L.A. or San Francisco. We liked the fact that it was close to the Mexican border. It just seemed like a fun place.
"The only problem was when we first arrived, we couldn't get any work, we couldn't get any accommodations and we couldn't get into bars. So that was a little bit of a setback for the first couple of weeks.
"Once we got around that, we started having a great time. We really loved the place and it became one of those magical little experiences."
– CHRIS NIXON
After Maroon5's win at the 2004 Grammys (ironically for Best New Artist) and the Thrills' successful sophomore release, "Let's Bottle Bohemia," the two bands who took different paths to recognition join forces for the Honda Civic Tour, which stops at USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion Monday.
The Thrills and Maroon5 take different views of the three-minute pop song format. The Los Angeles quintet incorporates snappy melodies and catchy choruses to ensnare new fans. The Thrills woo audiences with a taste of Irish bittersweet balladry.
Deasy recognizes the craft in Maroon5's music, despite not having the indie street cred.
"I think Maroon5 is a really good pop band," says Deasy in his mild-mannered Irish brogue. "They do what they do really well. The three or four big hits, there's a real class to what they do. They're not considered a very cool band, but more often than not 'cool' bands are full of (crap) anyway.
"I think there's a good pop craft to what they do. I guess they are just one of those bands that pops up and becomes the biggest band in the world for a moment."
After the mellow pop sounds of "So Much for the City," many critics compared the Thrills to Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the surf music of the 1960s. Despite writing the album while living in San Diego and recording the album in L.A., Deasy doesn't make a direct link between his music and Wilson's.
"I think there are obvious West Coast influences in our music," corrects Deasy. "But I really wouldn't call ourselves surf music. The only thing we have in common with Brian Wilson is we don't surf."
Deasy sounds a little worn out through the phone lines and with good reason: Since the band released "So Much for the City," the Thrills has toured constantly and released its sophomore effort without a break. And after four years in the cutthroat music business, Deasy has learned some hard lessons.
"We need to get the balance right and do things on our terms," says Deasy, looking down the road at a possible break this summer and recording the next album. "Putting out a record, it's a great feeling. But once the record's out and the merry-go-round begins, you have to be prepared for that because it takes a lot out of you."
Right now, the Thrills is getting a taste of the pop high-life, touring with the wildly successful Maroon5.
"It starts off younger in the front rows," says Deasy of fans at the recent Honda Civic shows. "There's a little bit of the 'teenage girl' element. If you say hello, you tend to get an ear-deafening screech from the front. As you move back in the crowd, you see more women in their early-30s and a few boyfriends who've been dragged along. It's quite a varied audience really."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
