Meet LINKS. They are a group of four talented musicians ready to rock your world. Besides having the best hair in the business, they also have great music. Their sound is described as “soul with a twist of blues and a shout of rock.” With two albums already under their belt, debut EP “Tip Your Jester” and recently released “Echo Dogs,” there’s no stopping them.The band members are Robbie Arnett (lead vocals/guitar), Robby Barnett (bass guitar), Curtis Marrero (drums), and Eric Frank (lead guitar). They took some time out to answer a few questions. Get on board, here comes LINKS!
Andrea Domoslai: How did LINKS form?
LINKS came about when two longtime friends from Northern California, Robbie Arnett and Eric Frank, met up in Los Angeles with two longtime Southern California boys, Robby Barnett (yes, that’s not a typo) and Curtis Marrero. The four musicians instantly found common ground and decided to get dirty in the studio and on the stage.
AD: Where did your band name come from?
One of our first shows was at a German themed pub. We were unnamed at the time, and after having a few beers, the owner came out and started yelling “LINKS” at us. We were supposed to load in our equipment on stage left, and instead, it was on the right. “Links” is German for left. For some reason, it stuck.
AD: Is there an OC connection? Are any of you from Orange County?
Robby (bass) and Curtis (drums) are both OC natives; Los Alamitos and Seal Beach, respectively.
AD: How would you describe your music?
Everything we do is rooted in soul music, but we like to drag it through the mud a little bit until it’s nice and filthy. We then bake at 450 degrees until moist in the center, and finish with an icing of the blues and some fancy sprinkles.
AD: What’s your song writing process?
It’s different every time. Every song has its own story. It’s entirely a collaborative effort, and every song comes out sounding like the four of us. Honestly, we really have no idea how this works.
AD: What’s the best part about being in a band?
The money. The gobs and gobs of money.
AD: Any funny show stories you’d like to share?
We once played a backyard party in Santa Barbara. It was a gigantic collegey rager, and when we had finished, the intoxicated party-goers simply did not let us leave the stage. We did our best to churn out a couple covers, but after a half an hour, it was clear we couldn’t last much longer. We ended up having to sleep on the lawn that night because we couldn’t even get our instruments back into the car, and didn’t trust drunk people to not destroy everything. It was quite the evening.
AD: Is your band a democracy or dictatorship?
Hmmm, tough question… oh wait a minute it’s not a tough question because this is AMERICA. Democracy.
AD: What sets you apart from other indie bands?
We have the best haircuts. And we don’t have a singer who plays an auxiliary tom at the front of the stage.
AD: What’s up next for LINKS?
We’re doing a big west coast tour in April with a bunch of our closest band pals. We’re also recording some bonus material for our latest EP “Echo Dogs” (released in January). Remixes, acoustic stuff, b-sides, you name it. Other than that… I don’t know, stickers? Anybody want stickers?
As you can see, these guys are lots of fun! Stay tuned for more exciting news and show announcements on LINKS at: www.linksband.com or www.myspace.com/linksband
Photos taken by Cooper Gross
