If you’re wondering what strange noises are coming from Athens, Greece, most likely it’s the psychedelic, indie-rock quartet Acid Baby Jesus. Never have I heard a band in which their name describes their sound so perfectly. They’re weird, odd, quirky by nature, with fuzz-filled guitars and screeching 60’s organs that send you spinning through some time warp that you’re unable to escape. With the release of their latest single, “Vegetable” and a second album on the horizon, we caught up with the band to get a peak inside the psychedelic world they live in.
How much do you believe in eating your vegetables?
That sounds like a great thing to do until you consider the snails and caterpillars hiding in the cabbage waiting to lick your lip.
Have to ask, what’s up with the band name? Definitely caught my eye, but, is baby Jesus on acid? Is it baby Jesus spitting acid from his mouth? Are the words baby Jesus says to his followers acid to their ears?
What? I had to read that twice, I like it. You know how future parents look for names on the internet and stuff? And then the baby is born, grows up and has its own life, gets married, has kids, dies. It still has that name, usually. That’s the case here probably until we decide to have a sex change. Or maybe I’m not disclosing all the information here. Did you know there’s a whole network of underground tunnels in Athens connecting the Acropolis to different sites? It’s true.
What was the concept behind your latest music video?
It’s all in the lyrics really… If you listen closely. Our buddy Jeff from Hellshovel is mostly responsible for the imagery.
What’s the indie music scene like in Greece? Who are some of your favorite artists?
Lots and lots of bands but few of them we can relate to. Our buddies Bazooka have their asses on fire. Antimob shred. There’s more but we won’t say, you have to come here and walk the stairs to the basement yourselves.
Tell us a little about the upcoming album.
This one is a collection of recordings made during the last two years. A lot changed and much stayed the same during that time. Music speaks for itself, doesn’t really need footnotes. Expect more soon, we’re in the mood.
I sense some Syd Barret era Pink Floyd in your sound. Fair comparison?
He was a wonderful musician and we love his work. Our equipment might be similar but our process and approach are probably quite different. Time will tell what common ground we might actually have, but it’s easier to spot similarity than originality, it’s how the mind works.
What are your plans for the next couple of months?
Our 2nd LP is out early November, we’re going to be on the road in Europe at that time so if you’re close don’t hesitate, we like to sweat.
Interview by Trevor L. Sensor.
