Everytime we play a song it’s different. It’s always a jam. The moment tells us when to push, when to pull.
Brett Kramer.
I walked into a classic weekend scene at Dyzzy on Vinyl last Saturday night: dim lights, less-than-sober jazz cats, & good music. The shop was packed with eyes on an up & coming alternative blues 3-piece, Swan Faucet. A bottle of Wild Turkey weaved its way through the crowd in celebration; the event was an EP release party for their recording debut, Flower. A raw pentatonic drive was at the core of their sound, though I could hear influences ranging from desert rock, indie, psychedelic, grunge & back. Sleepily melodic basslines met swift drum punches in their pocket, setting up the canvas for guitar leads to paint a story. The heart of the classics, a knack for modern songwriting, & fealty for song forges a charm exclusive to this rock trio. Their entire set was a moment; this was one of the best live sets I’ve experienced since the pandemic hit.
Happy Birthday, Tabasco.
Brett Kramer, guitarist, introduced me to Aman Patel, drummer, & Olivia Wissa, bassist. The three switch roles throughout their setlist & Brett/Olivia share vocal leads.
O
Shortly after we started the band, Aman took a trip up to San Francisco. When he got back, he couldn’t stop talking about how the Airbnb had this swan faucet in the bathroom. We were trying on names & Swan Faucet had this succinct ring to it. It meant absolutely nothing, which was perfect.
B
Aman & I had been jamming at CSULB since 2016. We always wanted a 3-piece, but never found the right fit until Olivia moved down the street from us. After she joined, the project’s been full send.
O
These two actually taught me bass. I’ve only been playing for 10 months, but I’m classically & jazz-trained on flute.
How’s your transition from flute to bass been?
O
Understanding the basis of music made transferring instruments a little easier. I will say that going from a purely melodic instrument to a melodic & rhythmic instrument has been a lot of fun. It forces me to think in a way I don’t normally do; melody’s still involved, but having to weld that to the pocket isn’t really a factor on the flute. Every choice I make influences the entire band to a much greater extent.
A
She lays it down, outlines the landscape for us. I’ll wake up & stare at my ceiling like, yo, where is it? Once I find these two, Olivia will start piecing it together like, finally, here’s a platform I can work from.
It’s almost like you were boxing with the kit in there.
A
That’s what I live for. I hear a groove & I’m like, okay, where’s the halftime? I love making things more brutal than they ought to be.
Take me through your songwriting process.
B
One of us might bring an idea to a session but most of the time we start from scratch. We’ll just start playing & all of a sudden the three of us are creating together. It’s like magic.
A
It’s a stream of consciousness. There’s no defined leader saying ‘this is how I imagined it;’ it’s the three of us imagining out loud in real time.
Last question, why do you play music?
O
I have synesthesia, which blends your senses. I get it with words & numbers, but it’s the most profound with music. When I’m playing a show & those eye-closing moments happen, there’s this cornucopia of colors, textures & visuals. Getting to experience that is like scratching an itch. It’s deeply self-indulgent (haha).
A
It’s my avenue to speak from without using diction. Not many can really speak music, but everyone understands it. Know what I mean? Sometimes my brain knows what it wants to say, but can’t find the right words to say it. So I just smash some drums instead. Other times my muscle memory expresses emotions I didn’t even know I had. These guys pick up on that, & add to it. It’s cool.
B
Music’s the only thing that makes sense, man. It’s the present, music is now. Every thought I have in a day is looking forward to playing with these two. Those moments Olivia mentioned where we can’t help but close our eyes; I couldn’t ask for anything more perfect.
Support on Bandcamp at https://swanfaucet.bandcamp.com/.
More live clips at https://www.instagram.com/swanfaucetlbc/.
