Since we last spoke with Dominic and Jeremy a month ago, the guys have been awfully busy playing a slew of shows on the first leg of their fall “Sky High” tour. We caught up with them just before their two Colorado appearances, one being the second annual, sold-out Rowdytown show at Red Rocks. In light of the devastating floods that plagued the front range this past month and the altruistic nature of Big Gigantic, the band teamed up with Conscious Alliance to turn its local gigs into flood relief benefit shows. In addition to a portion of the band’s ticket sales being donated to the relief effort, while selling tickets in person the guys signed fans up for a Big Gigantic Volunteer Cleanup Day and took donations for flood victims. Wow, way to take some initiative gentlemen, thanks for your contributions! Now without further ado, here’s our interview with them:
Rooster: Hey guys, how’s the Sky High tour been going so far?
Dominic Lalli: Yo! Sky High Tour has been freaking great! Just did a bunch of shows on the west coast and played a few Mad Decent Block Parties, which were fucking nuts! We just got back in Boulder this week and we’re getting ready for our shows at The Fillmore & Rowdytown at Red Rocks, then we hit the rest of the country in October.
Rooster: After the tour it looks like you’re headed to Australia for some gigs, have you guys ever played there?
Dominic Lalli: Yup, in January we’re heading out to Australia for the Big Day Out Festivals. We’ve never been so we’re insanely pumped to be a part of something that huge! We’re there for like 3 weeks so we’ll get to see and play shows and hopefully hang with some Aussies and maybe a koala or two.
Rooster: Is there anywhere else outside the U.S. you might tentatively play?
Dominic Lalli: We’re looking to play in the U.K. in late November. We’ve never been over theren so we’re psyched for that as well.
Rooster: You tour so much. What’s the hardest part of touring?
Dominic Lalli: Finding time to make music!
Jeremy Salken: Finding a good shower.
Rooster: Any crazy stories from touring you’d like to tell us? We promise we won’t tell.
Jeremy Salken: Man there’s always craziness on the road. You just can’t get away from it! We don’t kiss and tell, though! Dom did just sit in with Major Lazer at the Block Party in Texas, not a juicy story, but it was great doing something with Diplo and those guys. They’re all nice as hell and insanely fun to party with!
Rooster: Ok ok. Let’s get down to what everyone wants to know. How’s the new album coming along?
Dominic Lalli: It’s coming along great! A little slow because of how much we tour, but it’s really shaping up to be something super special. It’s going to absolutely be our best album yet.
Rooster: When can we expect its release?
Dominic Lalli: Right at the beginning of next year, but we're going to be releasing a few singles along the way so you'll be hearing new Big G sooner than you think. We're excited!
Rooster: Is there a particular direction you’ve seen your style take with Big G or is there anyone that’s had a serious influence on you lately?
Dominic Lalli: We've just been continuing to develop our sound and I think we're on to something. Something very fresh for us and something that I think our fans and people in general are gonna love!
Rooster: Jeremy, what’s the toughest part of translating your recorded music to your live playing?
Jeremey Salken: It’s crazy, I’ve been playing drums since I was like 3 and the way I would teach myself is by putting on headphones and literally copying what I heard. I would dissect it and slow it down if needed, but I would literally sit there for hours and hours learning the songs of bands I liked. That’s how I learned a ton of different styles of music and definitely what I attribute to helping me get to where I am, but it’s essentially what I do with Big G. It sounds corny, but it’s like I’ve been training for this my whole life! With the beats Dom makes, they already feel like something I’d play so playing over it and adding my two cents really feels natural and I feel like it helps the music come to life even more so than it already does.
Rooster: Dom, how have you been able to keep up with your other projects lately since Big G has really taken off or have you?
Dominic Lalli: I pretty much spend all my time working on Big Gigantic in some way or another. Occasionally I'll get to play a show with The Motet guys or a super jam type of thing but that’s about it. I’m excited to be as busy as I am!
Rooster: Jeremy, who’s your idol as far as drummers go?
Jeremey Salken: So many bad ass drummers out there that I look up to! It’s been great to get to know some of them as we’ve gotten bigger. Adam Deitch is a perfect example of a dude I’ve looked up to forever who’s now a homie! He’s a bad ass motherfucker! As far as cats right now… Sput, the drummer from Snarky Puppy, is mind blowing! Check it out if you haven’t yet, it’s some of the best and most inspiring music I’ve heard in a long time.
Rooster: Which famous musician that you’ve met was the most exciting for you?
Dominic Lalli: Hmmm, that’s hard to nail down – John Scofield. He watched our set on Jam Cruise last year and said he really dug it. As a musician hearing something like that from a legend is the most validating thing ever! You really feel like well, got that taken care of, I can quit now.
Rooster: Who are you guys listening to these days? Anyone up and coming, who we might not have heard of?
Dominic Lalli: A little bit of everything!
Jeremy Salken: Listen to Snarky Puppy!
Rooster: What are your spirit animals?
Jeremy Salken: Actually, I found a test online – apparently I’m a wolf! That would make sense since I had Alaskan Malamutes growing up. Love those dogs.
Dominic Lalli: A Leopard
Rooster: And finally, what’s your favorite publication aside from The Rooster?
Both: Is there any other publication? Haha
Rooster: Well played, boys. Looks like our work here is done.
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