Door: Maaike van der Linden
This year’s Eurosonic/Noorderslag will be a treat for the ears, as dozens of new and exciting artists will perform on countless locations. To help you choose which new acts to check out, LLUID will introduce some for you! This time we speak with Daniel Todd, vocalist in the rock-outfit Exmagician.
Hi Daniel! How are you doing?
All good, thanks. We’ve both been locked away over the winter months writing new material for another record, so we’re looking forward coming out of hibernation to stretch our legs in Holland soon.
In March 2016, your first album Scan the Blue came out, following your 2015 EP Kiss That Wealth Goodbye. All songs from that EP are featured on the album except for Tear On Let Off Some Steam. Why is that?
We previously put a record out on Bella Union as Cashier no.9 and when that ended, James and myself thought an EP would be a good introduction to the new project rather than releasing the full record straight away. Tear On Let Off Some Steam was something we were working on after the album was completed.
Your song Job Done was remixed by Jacknife Lee, which might be seen as an unusual move for a blues/rock band. How do you see that?
Yes, we love that remix. I love how he took a short pop song for an 18 minute psychedelic jog through the woods. I’m not sure I’d describe us as a blues/rock band, but I guess that song sounds kind of garage rock with synths.
The name Exmagician suggests you were magicians before you decided to make music, where does the band name come from?
Unfortunately not. However, I do know a couple of terrible tricks. The name comes from a line in a Pavement song ‘Trigger Cut’ – “Ex-magician, still knows the tricks”
There will be a lot of bands performing at Eurosonic. Why do people have to check out your show?
I guess they don’t have to but they’d be foolish not to. It will be fun and we may even premier those terrible tricks.
What are the highlights from the tour so far?
We had a fun time touring Germany recently and really enjoyed SOS 4.8 festival in Spain. Anywhere away from the grey skies and soggy hills of Ireland is usually a treat.
What are your hopes or wishes for 2017?
We’re touring a bit at the start of the year. It’d be nice to finish our next record in the summer. I would love to play a few more festivals in Europe, preferably all the sunny/dry ones. It would also be fun to play Glastonbury at some point, preferably before they move site. It’s a really special place, I’ve had some memorable nights there.
Exmagician will perform in Café De Spieghel at 22:15
