Drop City Yacht Club was in town to open up for Dev at the Catalyst in November (I know that was a while back, but believe me, these guys are amazing). This duo is made of Kristo and THX — both veterans of the music industry who are ready to unleash all-new music. We caught up with them at their SF show the next night to talk about the group and their upcoming projects.
Hello again, and nice to see you both. Let’s jump right in: SF is your hometown, so what is your favorite thing to do here?
Kristo (K): It used to be going to the beach, but now it’s sleep. THX is actually from LA, though.
THX (X): Yeah, I’m from the soulless City of Angels – Los Angeles.
What inspires your music?
K: Booze. Nah just kidding. It’s a lot from life experiences, lifetime memories, the future, the past, the present, sounds, Shark Week, and just when you’re creating sounds, it’ll just happen.
X: Having an out-of-body experience. I want to be able to get out of my body.
Do you have any other hidden talents other than music?
K: Skateboarding and soccer. I have a lot, and I’m just talented a lot.
X: I only have one thing I do and all it is, is music – that’s it.
If you didn’t have music, what would happen?
X: I would die. I wouldn’t exist. I wouldn’t be able do to anything. I’d probably have to be rebirthed again, and I’m sure my mom wouldn’t want that.
K: I would be a professional soccer player.
Any specific soccer team you like?
K: Liverpool.
What is the meaning of Drop City Yacht Club?
K: Drop City is the first hippie community in the world – Denver, Colo..
X: Basically we’re talking about pre-historic hippies.
K: Exactly, so in B.H. — Before Hippie – it was a time of just rebel thinkers and new crazy things and mostly because they were mostly dropping acid, hence the name. When you hear yacht club, you’re thinking of some class, culture. Then, when we have our music that has some 60s rock, rap and all of the musical ambiguity, those two things diametrically opposed things put together, they shouldn’t make sense right? But then when you hear the music you’re like, “OHHH!”
X: At first, Run-D.M.C. didn’t make sense, Beastie Boys didn’t make sense. And now, Drop City Yacht Club.
How do you both describe each other?
K: X is basically an alien.
X: Shhh! They aren’t supposed to know that.
K: Sorry, but now you know that whole mother and birthing thing, it’s just a cover. Just kidding, but really, though. He probably is the most musically gifted person I ever met. I mean, he wouldn’t be able to do anything else other than music.
X: You see, Kristo, he’s the smoothest cat in smooth town, which is actually where he’s from and SF is just a front. He’s just so smooth and everybody wants to be like him.
Your song “Crickets” is about how you got sprung over a girl. What are your turn-on and offs?
X: Turn-ons … just everything about girls and women.
K: Let’s start with the offs: gnarly feet, not being able to differentiate grammar things like your/you’re and their/there, hanging up without saying bye, don’t be a slut – not about that. Turn-ons: be able to hold a conversation, such as crystal pyramids to soccer. Smell half-way decent…
X: What does that even mean? Where do you draw the line? 49 percent of one thing and…
K: So really quick – another thing, bottom line, you have to have a sense of humor and be a fun person. So if a girl has, like, a great personality, it will round out the grammar thing. I like unique, interesting people. Boring people suck.
X: The strange is cool with us.
K: One last and BIG important thing: if you’re a Manchester United fan, all that I have said doesn’t even matter, which includes the whole half-way decent theory. When you’re a Manchester United fan, there are no go-backs, we aren’t going to get along. Period.
With songs that reference classic iconic figures, who do you believe best similarly describes you?
K: THX is a mix of both James Dean and the Fonz. Cool as James Dean and as badass as the Fonz.
THX: He [Kristo] has all the best parts, but more like Robert Redford, Zack Morris, and James Dean. Who wouldn’t want to be all three of those?
What can we expect next?
K: We have a mixtape/album coming out called Cure for Cold Weather, which should be coming out soon. It has a bunch of really dope new music and a little bit of what you expect and what you don’t expect from Drop City Yacht Club.
Quick Facts:
Do you prefer a girl who wears “sweatpants, hair tied, chilling with no makeup on” or “nails done, hair done, everything did”?
K: A little bit of both, and please sign me up.
X: I like the nails done, with sweats, hair undone, makeup done.
If you were to be stuck with a kernel in the back of your mouth or Cheetos fingers, what would it be?
K: Cheetos Fingers
X: Cheetos Fingers, but what about having cheese on everything? That’s why you wear gloves like Michael Jackson. …. Wait. Maybe that’s why he wore gloves … the secret is out.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
K: Flying
X: I have a superpower – I am a mind reader.
Song that best describes you:
Both: “Ebony and Ivory” – group answer.
Girl trends you don’t understand:
K: Those sandals that have all the straps…
X: The Helen of Troy ones? Gladiator sandals?
K: YES! Those. Just don’t wear them.
X: Don’t worry, I understand it all.
Any mantras you recite?
K: “Don’t suck.”
X: Yeah, don’t suck.
You definitely don’t suck, so the mantra must be working.
K: Are you crying over there X?
X: Nah man, I knew she was going to say that, I just got something in my eye … but anyway, The Drop City Experience is the world behind our experiences and music. Drop City doesn’t really exist, but when you come see us, it’s an experience wherever Drop City is – where we are. People just let go and just be free, they say random things at us during shows, but we are all about that. Come one and come all.
Anything else to say?
Both: Don’t suck.
Be sure to keep a look out for their upcoming album Cure for a Cold Weather (#CFCW) – coming out soon and listen to their current tracks out on iTunes!