The Weeks jump at the opportunity to play SwimVille! Who wouldn't?

Kelsey Hendrix | Feb 18, 2015

The Weeks at SwimVille

Yve Assad/SI

If you were at SwimVille, exactly one week ago today, you may have heard the sweet, sweet sound of The Weeks. Known for their Southern upbringing and influence, the band was an ideal fit for our first-ever SI Swimsuit Fan Festival in Nashville.

So what's it like to play in a tent surrounded by Swimsuit models? And how do you explain the term "y'allternative?" The Weeks are here to share that and so much more!

SWIM DAILY: Tell us about your band. Some have labeled The Weeks as a mix of southern rock and alternative. Is that what you would call yourselves?
THE WEEKS: We've always gone with the term "y'allternative", so the southern rock/alternative thing is definitely appropriate. We've never really discussed what we wanted our sound to be, though. We've been playing together since we were 14, so we're all pretty in tune with the sounds we want. It always comes across as more organic, and I think listeners are smart enough to be able to tell when a sound is contrived.

SWIM DAILY: How has the band changed over the years, with some members leaving and new members coming in?
THE WEEKS: The core of the band (Cyle, Cain, Sam and Damien) has stayed the same since 2006, so I don't think the sound changed too much until we added Admiral to play keys. We'd never had keys before, so it really allowed us to explore the R&B/Soul sounds we've always wanted to. Admiral really fills in the sonic gaps in a way that allows the rest of us to focus on the subtleties of our pants, instead of playing constantly and as loud as possible to fill in those gaps.

SWIM DAILY: Has being from the South had an impact on your music? If so, in what ways?
THE WEEKS: Coming up in the South relieved us of a lot of pressure that I think comes from coming up in big cities. It allowed us to take every new opportunity slowly; to really take things in and evaluate them rather than make impulse decisions based on money or exposure. Not to mention the musical history of Mississippi. There's something in the mud.

SWIM DAILY: The Kings of Leon also played for SI Swimsuit last week; how has being a part of their label influenced or changed your music, and/or your identity as artists?
THE WEEKS: They have been great to us. To have a band that’s achieved so much in your corner, willing to give advice whenever we call them up is a great asset to have. Doing the arena tour in the UK with them a few years back was a great experience, not only playing but also watching the band and their crew execute every night. I wouldn't say it's changed the music or identity, but the artistic freedom of the label has allowed us to really be ourselves in the studio and on stage.

SWIM DAILY: Lastly, how did you get involved in Swimsuit Launch Week? Was it a unique experience to most of the shows you play?
THE WEEKS: A few weeks ago, Caleb called me to see if we were going to be in town, and of course I agreed on the spot. I realized that "Do you want to play a show surrounded by swimsuit models?" is the easiest question in the world to answer. It was definitely a new experience. Being on the road 200 days a year, there's a lot of different things in crowds that distract you, but larger than life size banners of all the models in swimsuits was definitely a new, albeit welcomed, distraction.

Come back tomorrow for our Q&A with Moon Taxi!

Who rocked Nashville? Find all the bands from SI Swimsuit Launch Week!

Published Feb 18, 2015

KELSEY HENDRIX