Wumbo: Serious About Space-Rock Whimsy

Wumbo is a word coined on SpongeBob SquarePants. It is also an indie-rcok band that The Advocaterecently included in their list of 10 bands to check out in Baton Rouge. The band has played at most of Baton Rouge's esteemed music venues including The Varsity, Spanish Moon, Mid City Ballroom, Happy's Irish Pub, 524 Studios, and more. In a few days they'll be starting their tour across the South and Midwest.

There’s no blueprint to being a band.” - Jake Heflin

The band describes their hard-to-pinpoint sound as "space-indie-rock-jazz-pop" and released their self-titled EP back in December 2017. I heard them play at 524 a few weeks ago and liked their show enough to invite them on the podcast and to pick up their EP, which has come to remind me of Radiohead's seminal album, OK Computer. 

I had the opportunity to interview band members Kevin McCabe (drums), Jake Heflin (vocals, guitar), Mitchell Mobley (vocals, guitar), Tanner Yeldell (synth, percussion), and Zak Ocmand (bass) at Jake's place, where the band usually practices. Some of the things we discuss in this episode  include

• How to riff on a song until it's right
• Influences that have shaped their songs
• Using digital effects to emulate an analogue sound
• Conventions of shoegazing music and how that influenced the band’s approach to mixing 
• How to work through the challenges that come up when booking a tour
• Why innocent nonsense is worth celebrating
• Tips on how to book more shows at venues

 

Want to hear from another band in Baton Rouge with a distinct sound?  Then check out this interview with another local music darling, Ship of Fools.

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Sponsor for this Episode

nsavides productions – I make videos and tell stories. 

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The right music video can open doors to venue owners, agents, and other decision makers. My videoshave helped musicians, businesses, and creative people take their dreams to the next level. Let's talk about what we can do together. 

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Say hello: [e-mail]

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Related Things

• Wumbo's site

  • Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Wumbo EP on Bandcamp 
• Most of the recording for the Wumbo EP was done at O’Neal Studios by J.t. O’Neal
• The Advocate's list of 10 notable Baton Rouge bandsthat includes Wumbo
• Reddit thread about a Bee Movietheory
• DIY Tour Postingsgroup on Facebook
• My guest post on the Dare Dreamer FM blog about how to develop your artistic voice
• Shortcut for the podcast: nicksav.show

Music for the show provided by Rob Costlow.

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Bands & Musicians Mentioned

• Beethoven 
• Django Reinhardt
• Fine Divine, one of Zak’s other bands
• Hydra Plane, psychedelic fusion band in Baton Rouge
• Loudness War, garage rock band in Baton Rouge 
• oh, hi mark., another one of Zak’s other bands
• Pacifico, former guest on the show 
• The Patsies, Zak’s first band 
• Radiohead’s OK Computeralbum
• Sammy Hagar
• Will Hinchliffe, guest vocalist on Wumbo's song "Perch" 
• Wumbo 

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Films Mentioned

• Bee Movie 
• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee 
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
• The Goonies
• Hachi: A Dog's Tale
• Interstellar 
• SpongeBob SquarePants
• Stranger Things
• Westworld 

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Books Mentioned

• All the Pretty Horsesby Cormac McCarthy
• The Birth of Tragedyby Friedrich Nietzsche
• Creati