Sleigh Bells’ Alexis Krauss Discusses Starting a Record Label and Preparing for Tour

Sandy Lo

Brooklyn-based duo Sleigh Bells are about to kick off their tour in Hamburg on February 28th to support their fourth album, “Jessica Rabbit.”  Vocalist Alexis Krauss and drummer Derek Miller recorded three albums together as Sleigh Bells before deciding to leave their record label and start their own.  The label is called Torn Clean, which is also a track on “Jessica Rabbit.”  Entertainment Voice spoke with Alexis about the album, releasing it on Sleigh Bells’ own label and the upcoming tour.

Let’s talk about your latest album, “Jessica Rabbit,” which was released on your label.  Why did you decide to create your own label?

It’s a pretty complicated, long story, but the essence of it is that we made our first three albums with Mom + Pop (Records), primarily working with Michael Goldstone and it was a really wonderful partnership.  However, we decided to leave because one, our contract was up and two, we were curious about exploring other options for releasing music. It just became more and more apparent that the state of the music industry is one that requires labels to have a lot of input, to try to increase sales and push artists in directions that they can monetize. I think that’s the case now more than ever especially for independent labels just because the music industry has changed so dramatically. People are trying to stay in business.  

As we continued to make the album and it was going in a lot of different directions, it was definitely an album that was pretty self-indulgent in the sense that we were making music we wanted to make, not making music that was commercially viable or necessarily expected by us. It just became clearer that the best way to release it would be on our own terms so we could have 100% creative control. Once it became plausible and once we were able to figure out that we could make it happen, we decided to run with it. That’s not to say that in the past we didn’t have a lot of control. That’s always been something we’ve prioritized. This is just a really different approach and it’s been a great fit for us.  Obviously, there are limitations to the budget, but honestly, that seems to be the case with so many artists I know even if they are working with record labels.

Besides budgeting being a tricky thing, are there any cons to having your own label?

I think it’s just a bit more pressure.  You have to not only conceptualize something, but you have to organize and execute. The burden is really falling on you. By you, I mean myself and my band mate, and our manager and team. The inner circle is really in charge of the decisions and executing them.  There is a bit more of a fire under our butts in terms of getting things done and not having the luxury of relying on a team of people that you’re paying to help make those decisions and connections. That being said, it just helps focus things a bit more. It’s almost easier to make a decision more quickly. Less people are weighing in. Derek and I are used to being a team and bouncing ideas off each other without too many cooks in the kitchen.

How does “Jessica Rabbit” differ from your past releases?

It’s a longer album.  It definitely is more diverse, in my opinion. The tracks go from a song like “I Know Not To Count On You,” or “Torn Clean,” which are definitely more emotional. They go down into a part of our songwriting that we haven’t really explored, which is more vulnerable and certainly less bombastic. Then to oppose that with songs like, “Throw Me Down The Stairs,” and “Unlimited Dark Paths,” which are in a lot of ways our most ambitious songs in that they’re the heaviest. They explore a lot of different tempo changes and ideas. Whereas in the past we relied heavily on repetition. I think it’s a pretty ambitious album. And I’m not using that in a flattering way necessarily. Just using to describe what we were trying to accomplish and the fact that we were more emboldened to commit to ideas that we felt in the past we couldn’t pull off because of our own self-imposed limitations on the band. This album is a challenging one for fans. I can’t say that I understand what people expect of us. I think from the beginning we’ve always put out very contrasting pieces of music, whether it’s “Willow,” and “Infinity Departs.” I will say it’s probably the most rewarding album we’ve released with the response from fans and the response at live shows.  

Some albums have a theme.  Would you say this one did?

I think this album represents a lot of uncertainty.  There is a lot of melancholy, but there is also a lot of hope. There is a lot of sadness and frustration, but there is also a lot of euphoria and confidence. It’s a really schizophrenic album. It’s emotionally fraught. I think a lot of that came from writing during a time of personal uncertainty within the band as far as where we were and how we were going to release music. It took the longest amount of time to write and release. In that time, there was a lot of exploration. There were really high highs and low lows. Also, the state of our world…things has become, in my opinion, more chaotic. Even at the time, we were making this album, it reflects what we’ve been experiencing.  

Your music has been described as noise pop.  What does that mean to you?

I don’t particularly take issue with it. It’s certainly appropriate, especially for our earlier material. It accurately defines an album like Treats. We certainly pride ourselves in noise, volume, and in live shows that are extremely engaging and in a way kind of over the top. That noisy aspect is definitely a component of Sleigh Bells. I think it has evolved away from noise in the past couple of years, but that being said, it’s destructive so I understand that title.

You’re about to start your tour.  Is there a particular city you’re excited to see?

I’m very excited about Iceland. We’re going to Reykjavik. Unfortunately, we’re going in February, so there is not going to be much daylight, but I’m still looking forward to it. Touring is a blessing and a curse. You get to see all these incredible places, but you spend very little time there. Even given the limitations, I’m really looking forward to it. I love being in Europe, but I also love touring the U.S., especially now after four albums. It’s really interesting to see who’s at our shows. A lot of people who have been supporting the band for years…it sounds cheesy, but it’s really heartwarming when you say fans grow-up and live with your band, and you build a relationship with them. There are a lot of cities I love. I love playing the South and Midwest. It’s normally cities that are considered a secondary market that end up being the most fun and exciting. It’s a show in Birmingham, Alabama or Columbus, Ohio that usually ends up being the most rewarding one on the tour.

Mentally and physically, what do you do to prepare for a tour?

Well, physically, I’m a very active, athletic person. I spend a lot of time in the outdoors, rock-climbing and hiking. I try to keep myself in the best shape as possible because our show is very physical. I’m not stationary at all on stage, so I try to go into as healthy physically as I can be. I’ve been working really hard on my voice and increasing my stamina. I’m just really making sure that I’m using my instrument properly. Mentally, I really look forward to touring. It’s just an honor traveling around the world and getting to play music for people. So, I don’t have to do a ton to psyche myself up for a tour.  You just have to stay focused and disciplined. It’s a job, one that I take very seriously. It’s work that I love to do.

On the road, do you and Derek argue about anything?

Yeah, absolutely. Derek and I get along extremely well. I think our relationship is more like brother and sister though. We have an extremely peacefully relationship, but we argue about stupid shit, like where we’re going to eat breakfast and what order of songs we’re going to do or we get cranky at the airport, or who’s leaving dishes in the sink. Stuff like that. We like each other so that’s the most important thing.  We have very few arguments about things that really matter, so that’s a real advantage.

What can we expect from Sleigh Bells in 2017?

We’re already working on new music.  And just trying to play as many shows as possible and more festivals, that and working on the next album.

Sleigh Bells kicks off the North American leg of their tour March 1 and are play L.A.’s El Rey Theatre March 28.