Band Interview: Illinois

Sometimes interviewing a band can be a bit like eating dinner with a finishing school headmistress or watching a self-documentary made by a guy whose mother has excessively doted on him and whose self-love could sink a luxury cruise ship. Fortunately, my interview with Illinois was like neither. Meeting before their show at the Mercury Lounge, we spoke in their basement dressing room, where the band was not dressing but drinking. Despite their skyrocketing status after being touted the darlings of SXSW, the guys “Chris Archibald, Andrew Lee, Martin Hoeger, and John-Paul Kuypers” were refreshingly natural, sweet, and funny. Press the sideways triangle to see what singer Chris Archibald had to say to yours truly about getting hotter girlfriends, the Kid Catastrophe videos, and what he’s learned since releasing the first Illinois EP.