Snails In Folklore
Words: MacKenzie Pause

In the tradition of folklore, beliefs, practices, customs, stories, jokes and songs are handed down orally or behaviorally from individual to individual. So what does that have to do with a four-piece post-punk math rock band from Orlando, and where do the snails come in?

Snails In Folklore started with Justin Bean (guitars, vocals, shananigans) and a plan to form a band of unconventional structures with true musical expression. Using Craig's List as a forum to find additional members, he eventually rounded up Danny Harrell (bass, keys, recording engineer and laser kazoo), Ali Hoffman (violin, vocals) and Ben Petersen (drums).

"Craig gave birth to us," Harrell said.

A year and a half later, the band finds themselves recording their first release, a seven song EP.

Bean said, "We call it an IP, it's sort of right in between an EP and full length, intermediate play."

They laugh and reflect on the recording process, which Harrell utilizes his recording engineer experience and Full Sail education to produce.  

"I worked at a studio in Seattle," Harrell began. "And got some boy band experience."

As everyone should.

Harrell said: "As far as the music we're making, it's much more up my alley. I grew up listening to Sonic Youth, Polvo and Archers Of Loaf, so sixteen hours on a boy band session is kind of hard. I learned a lot, but it wasn't really who I am."

Recording the Snails has been a challenge that Harrell has willingly embraced.

"They are kind enough to let me fuck shit up," Harrell said. "The setup I have is kind of mid-fi, but it works. I kind of like being limited." 

It's not boy band studio status, but their practice space gets the job done and even manages to occasionally piss off a neighbor.

"This guy decided to throw rotten oranges at our practice space." Harrell said. "There was a bit of a confrontation, but it was resolved."

Don't worry; no one was hurt in the citrus warfare.

Playing too loud is part of being in a rock band, and the band uses every possible avenue to create new sounds.

"We'll try to fit parts together," Bean stated. "After we have a full song written, I'll go and try to buy as many obscure instruments as possible. I got a darbuka, built a piezo pickup for it, ran it through my amp and played that on one of the songs. I play a 12" China cymbal on one song that I clip to the boom stand."

If there's still confusion as to the relevance of snails in folklore, Bean elaborates.

"Throughout history, there have been winners and losers," Bean said. "History is like a game of broken telephone. One person says something that gets repeated to someone else and so on. Assume that the people who emerge successful are the ones whose version of an event becomes the version that people further in time. The fading groups and individuals, forgotten as a result of their very nature, may have just been a bit slower, or snail like, in their decision making process. Could this band be successful in the long run or will it just be another Snail in Folklore?"

Time will tell, but for now catch the band on their Florida-ish tour:

March 6, 2008 - Backbooth (Orlando) w/ History, Poverty Branch and The Dark Romantics
March 7, 2008 - The Atlantic (Gainesville) w/ Mumpsy
March 8, 2008 - The Sentient (Savannah, GA)

myspace.com/snailsinfolklore