[Exclusive Interview]: The Britanys’ Lucas Long Talks New Mixtape ‘1-833-IDK-HTBA’ and 2000s Vibes

News · October 17, 2018

To answer your burning question: yes, it’s a real phone number you can call.

Released on October 5th by Brooklyn natives The Britanys, 1-833-IDK-HBTA is an introspective mixtape filled with nostalgia (listen below!). Known for their raw guitar riffs and a wavy, vintage sound, these alt-rockers have been often compared to The Strokes and are reminiscent of that early 2000s basement jamming era. But rather than stay in the past, these guys want to cultivate their art in the present. With the mixtape comes a multi-media experience including the actual phone number you can call and an interactive music video on their website. In doing this, The Britanys explore the effects of technology on our society and world.

Frontman Lucas Long graciously delved into the world of their music for us:

How did you guys get started in music?

We’ve all been playing music since a young age, for me, guitar was the place I could go and be myself growing up, a place where I could build my own world, in dire times.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Everything, anything. Billie Holliday’s voice, Jimi Hendrix’ guitar, Pink Floyd’s shows, Django Reinhardt, The Beatles

What do you think it is about your music that appeals to so many different crowds?

We spend most of our time in the basement, it’s hard to think that anyone outside of that knows. But, our biggest mission is to write songs, and I think people can feel when there’s care put into songs. We know the hardship, and all we hope is in times of need, bliss, isolation our songs can be there for people to escape into.

The Britanys by Sophia Ragomo

What draws you guys to that retro, 2000s, vibe?

I guess it’s just the time we grew up. We never really had bands, or at least, it felt that way at the time, guess subconsciously comes out, learning guitar to “Seven Nation Army” or “Mardy Bum,” is bound to come through. Think it’s more of a subconscious expression rather than a design.

Do you see yourselves as bringing something new to the table by innovating the alternative genre in this way, or would you rather give off the sense that you’re paying homage to alt-rock of the 2000s?

I believe all current genres are irrelevant or archaic and don’t necessarily apply to the music that’s created in 2018. I don’t feel comfortable calling ourselves a rock band and yet don’t know what else it would be if that makes sense. Feels like we are standing in the precipice of the unknown, in many cultural areas, but our biggest worry is to just keep our heads down and make songs. At the end of the day, a song is a song and that’s all that matters. The line between technology and humanity is a big interest, and an area we plan to discover, who knows what will come from it.

What is your favorite early 2000s clothing trend?

Zip-off pants for sure. The pants you could zip off the bottom and would be shorts haha

About your new mixtape, what’s the inspiration behind the visuals/artwork?

Can’t speak for anyone else, but that room dynamic is something I’ve grown up with. Going over to friends for play dates, the person at the computer has the throne, there’s usually someone in a smaller chair, copilot almost haha, and then the rest spread around the room. That dynamic was the inspiration, and something we wanted to visualize.

What was your creative process with this mixtape?

The recording was all pretty spread out. We recorded some songs almost a year ago and other songs two months ago. It was all a process, a learning process, and I think you’re able to hear the evolution which I like. The creative process was to record the tracks like we did in GarageBand growing up and the first time we recorded this way, and also allowed us more control. We’d always start with drums/ bass, then scratch vocal, then guitars and then final vocals, by the end we had that process pretty streamlined.

How did you guys come up with the idea for the interactive video?

That was all from the feeling of going fast, that was the main overall feeling, but it wasn’t the thought, we didn’t think before recording these songs about going fast it just came and that’s what we ended up with. The game was our try at replicating that sensation.

What messages do you hope to communicate to fans with your music or specifically with this mixtape?

I just want people to feel that there’s a place for them and hopefully, they can find a place for themselves in the music.

Photo courtesy of The Britanys

What kind of experience do you want to create for fans in your music, visuals, and in your live show?

One of unity, unity in pain, unity in happiness, acceptance and honesty with themselves and each other. I think every human being, and even as far as, every living organism, feels the same spectrum of emotion, from the darkest of the dark to the lightest of the light, no matter what path you walk, the feelings are inevitable. Feel like people are so caught up in portraying this happy life, but it’s almost a catch 22, because when you need someone the most is in time of pain and that’s when we tend to become the most isolated, whether out of pride or embarrassment or cultural acceptance, but unifying in pain can be the most powerful. The experience we aim for is one of humanity, the good and the bad, an experience for the person which I think is forgotten about more than ever in this current state of the digital age.

Dream musical collaborations (any artists, dead or alive!)?

I mean the obvious, to be in a studio with Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Bob Marley – out of those three I think if I had to choose it would be Bob Marley. I think for a collaboration, now, it’d have to be Gorillaz. In my mind, Damon Albarn is the most prolific artist of this millennium and I would love to steal all of his tricks.

Anything else you want readers to know?

My whole life I was seeking others approval or acceptance, trying too hard. What I’ve learned over the past year and through the recording process is that all you have to do is be. The mind is a muscle and it takes practice, but if you’re able to silence the outside world and truly listen, your body knows all of the answers. If we’re all able to follow this internal light, and be true to it, I believe humanity has a chance. Stay true to yourself and don’t take it too seriously.

Listen to the full mixtape: