Cowboy & Indian Interview

Cowboy & Indian is probably one of the best folk bands we've discovered this year; there's this quirky, charming feel to their songs that's not replicated by any other band. The members each have different musical backgrounds that bring something entirely different to the group as a whole, and it makes your ears really, really happy. We asked Jazz Mills, talented singer and member of Cowboy & Indian, a couple questions.



Where do you get the ideas for your music videos, if they were envisioned by you, and what was it like working on them and making a visual of the music you play?

The Ledbellies (Hurt my Pride) was shot on our very first tour in Chicago. We had only been a band for about 2 weeks and decided to tour from San Francisco to NYC and back to Austin. A friend of Daniel's named William Cabral was a huge fan of Leopold and his Fiction and heard about this new band and asked if he could come to Chicago to shoot a video. Ledbellies was 1 of like 5 songs we had at the time. Trouble Tracks was created by Daniel and his friend Sarah Wilson and shot in Joshua Tree during our 5th tour. Both videos were really fun to make but really different. With William, we basically just walked around the city while he filmed us and I found randomly places objects at each place we stopped and picked them up. There is a common theme in each item that I found on the street, but no body has seemed to notice that yet. When we showed up to the set of Troubled Tracks...I actually had scene notes, wardrobe, make-up etc. I am not an actress by any means so it was more difficult, but I love Sarah and don't mind doing what she tells me.

What have you learned from being on stage, performing, that you wished you'd known before?

I have learned how important it is to stay focused and appreciative onstage no matter what I may be going through off the stage. It is important to me that the audience feels connected and appreciated for being there and listening. There have been times when I was sick or upset and I basically just waltzed up onstage and did "my job" and afterwards heard people say things like...."I really enjoyed the show, but you seemed really disconnected or upset." I want people to know that I love them for being there and I if I am having a bad day offstage that I am still only up on the stage for them. It was a lot harder than I thought.

Which one of your songs did you spend the most time working on, and why?

We haven't spent a ton of time [on] just one song. Daniel and Jesse write very quickly, but a lot of our songs will be written piece by piece when we are all in different states and then when we get together....we put the pieces together.

What song would you like to hear before and after yours on the radio?

I would like to hear Name in Stone by Dead Man's Bones before and Love is All by The Tallest Man on Earth [after.] Actually either order.

If a (Glitter) Pox epidemic were to break out, apocalypse-style, what would the title of your last song be?

I would do anything to cover I'm Going Back Home by Nina Simone.

And lastly, what's coming up for you guys? Album, tour?

Our first full album is finished, but the release date is TBA. We will be releasing more singles and videos soon though.

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Seriously excited for that album. While we wait, Jazz Mills is working on a solo EP for the newest member of Cowboy and Indian - her baby Ava. You can be a part of the process by pledging, and you can get signed EPs, tshirts, posters, and swaaaag, all while being a part of something great. Check it out here. We pledged, and if you like the music, pledge with us.