The Sights are the future of Detroit City’s rock. Eschewing the almost requisite starlight-mint-dirty-garage as their sole influence, the four piece is also throw back in a mod and even new wave sense, particularly on the fab new record Got What We Want. Layer after layer of bombastic bass and drums accompany lead vocalist Eddie Baranek’s vocal charms. He recently answered five from the road.
Badger Herald: Who are your Michigan-based influences? The rest?
Eddie Baranek: We are influenced by the Rationals, early Bob Seger and SRC. SRC is this great forgotten late-’60s Ann Arbor psychedelic rock band. They had a few albums out on Capitol that are just amazing. Other influences would have to be Neil Young, Dylan, Burrito Bros., Small Faces [and] Nina Simone.
BH: How did you get hooked up with the Datsuns?
EB: We dig them and they dig us, hence the tour. It gets really nauseating after awhile when you tour with crappy bands, or when you show up to a gig in some nowhere city and the opening local bands are nu-metal or something as bad. It’ll be good to actually be proud of the band we are touring with.
BH: Have you ever played Madison?
EB: We played Madison in the fall of 2001 at the Rathskellar with the Greenhornes and it wasn’t fun at all. But we are excited to come back and reclaim the rock ‘n’ roll crown.
BH: Don’t you just totally feel that new Supergrass record?
EB: I’ve only heard the new album a few times, but I don’t think it is their strongest. I still feel I Should Coco is their masterpiece. In It For The Money and their b-sides are amazing as well. Great band.
BH: I was told by a publicity friend that you recorded over the holidays. When is the new album expected to drop?
EB: Well, I don’t remember recording anything, so it must have gotten lost in the mail. We haven’t started recording anything for the next album, but we do have a bunch of songs together. A few are moodier and darker, and a few are softer. I think I’ve reached a point where it doesn’t have to be screaming your head off all the time. I want to slow it down a bit and see what happens.
The Sights play with The Datsuns this Friday night at The Annex. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 the day of the show and are available at all Annex ticket outlets.
