[Ed Note -- Austinist contributor Miguel Hinojosa recently sat down for a chat with Ramesh Srivastava, lead singer of Austin's indie pop wunderkinds Voxtrot. Adored by Pitchfork, the NME, fans from all over the states and overseas, and every music blogger who ever lived, these remarkably talented lads are on the verge of something extraordinary. Later this year they'll be releasing their debut full-length album; to tide you over for now, EPs Raised by Wolves and Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives are available from Insound and iTunes.]

So what did you think about playing at the opening of the new Blanton Museum?

Great museum. Weird atmosphere.

Was it strange how those girls were going crazy over you guys?

That was kind of nice, actually, that there were some very enthusiastic people there. Other than that it wasn't like a real "show" show. We were really happy that they asked us to do it. It's a really cool thing to be involved with.

Do you get that kind of reaction often?

What? The girls?

The girls. Yeah.

Yeah, It usually only happens in cities like Houston for example; or places where there are a lot of really young people [who] are usually not that self-conscious. Bigger, more cosmopolitan cities.

Now that you've gone on a few tours, has it all gotten any easier?

Oh yeah, every time, I think. It's very second nature now.

Any lessons learned in particular from the road?

Always get your car checked out.

And probably learn a thing or two about cars and save yourself some money?

You'd think, right? I think Mitch and I probably know how to change the oil.

What things have played a role in shaping your ideas about beauty?

I guess things like a piece of art or piece of music that conjures a specific emotion; and then myself wanting to create something that would do that for somebody else.

What aspect of the work do you find most difficult? Is writing music the easiest thing?

It probably is, but it gets more and more difficult... whereas I used to write something and not care -- y'know, I was basically writing for myself -- now, I'm still trying to write for myself but it's really hard to do that, because there are people who have actually financially invested interest in what I'm writing. So it's very different.

How do you see the band evolving?

We'll be playing together a lot more, so musically it will evolve, but I don't even know what it will actually sound like. I have absolutely no idea. It'll be weird, too, when it hits the ears of many more people. Everything's hypothetical now, but if all the stuff we're talking about goes ahead it'll be weird 'cause we would be touring in Europe and I have no idea what it would be like or how people will respond to it.

Is that the main challenge you guys are facing? Not knowing what's going to happen?

Well, we kind of have this schedule; we just have to execute [it].

What's your idea of an important achievement?

I think satisfaction is important, because if you're satisfied with something, that's enough right? It's pretty good.

Do you consider yourself as an artist?

(Smiling) I think I'm actually an employed artist.

Do you believe in luck?

Oh yeah...big time! I totally believe in luck.

You're in a very interesting position right now because you've done two EPs on your own and have gotten a great deal of attention from fans on the internet. Now that you are about to make an album, do you have any fears of change? Be it in the music or the way you'll be living?

I'm embracing the change. We actually aren't living that much differently yet. I think that when you start to do it (a career in music) your lifestyle doesn't necessarily change but what you can DO changes. Like touring Europe for example, something you could never EVER afford to do suddenly becomes possible. Or like going to New York to play one show. Its a big thing.

Before it would seem like an utterly ... ridiculous idea, but I think if there are multiple people who want me to do well, then certain extravagances like that seem more justified. Because there are obviously people who make music and ... people in the business of music; and if for them it's business, then something weird like that is considered a business trip.

Say if you come out of college and get a job as a consultant. It's great and it's not weird for you to fly to Phoenix for three days to attend some weird senior manager's conference or something, so it's kind of the same thing. It just seems more glamorous because it's ... recreation, I guess. Music for most people is recreation and some people make it and some people try and sell it.

When you started this band, you were living out in the country and just wanted to try and do music. Now just after little over three years it's kind of turning into something that could be a career. It's funny to me that something as personal as Voxtrot is turning into something like that.

Well most of it has happened within the span of nine months. I dunno...

A.) I never thought we would ever play live, and when we did that, it went okay.

B.) I never thought we would play outside of Austin, and that went pretty well.

Do you ever think about your life before you immersed yourself in the band? I mean, you had other interests since you were going to school in Glasgow studying literature.

I've always wanted to play music, though. I dunno, it's weird because as soon as I started the band, I moved away. So I had this other life that was really great and I loved it. I had all these friends in Scotland and was really involved in stuff I thought was much more exciting than anything that was going on in the States. Just like all these great electronic artists and finding out about all these really cool clubs all over Europe. I was thinking that that was the only kind of music that I cared about anymore was either experimental or electronic music and it just made any other music sound really insignificant.

Was music ... why you moved to Glasgow in the first place?

Yeah, indie music was the main focus but it got abandoned because I realized there was something I found that was much cooler that was happening.

You've met a ton of people on the road that only know you through your recordings, and the type of music you make is very personal. Do you have people who come up to you thinking they know you, when in fact they only know one aspect of you?

Actually, not that much. It's a weird thing. You never really talk to someone for more than five seconds. Either five seconds or all night. You know? I could be hanging out with them or at a party or something or see people randomly and leave. I guess we've had people that have really connected to it. Actually because I have this blog! Okay, I used to have a diary on the website that got deleted accidentally. So I just started a blog cause I knew it would never be deleted, because "BLOG" is a loaded term now. Somebody would be like "Oh so this person is like transformed from somebody who writes stuff into a blogger".

You know, so suddenly I became part of that community. I kinda thought that not too many people would read it, or they might stumble upon it or something, but I guess it gets linked from things once in awhile. Anyway, a lot of interviewers use it as a basis for questions they ask, which sometimes can be a really good thing. Pitchfork does that a lot.

So we were in New York...and this girl was doing an interview for the Metro, which is like a daily paper that is given to everybody on the subways and stuff. Later I saw this article printed on the front page of the music section they had listed this really long story about my grandmother!

Oh wow, from your last blog?

Yeah, because my grandmother had just died and I thought. "Okay this is really weird". After that I would walk into certain places and there would be someone who would come up to me and be like, "Hey, I'm really sorry about your grandmother." You just don't think that people are attentive to that. I guess if I was a fan I would read it too.

Do you consider this your calling in life?

Yeah... totes (smiles).

What roles do sex and sensuality play in Voxtrot songs?

I guess a big one. I think songs that elude to sex or sometimes make a direct mention to them are, hmmm... It's everywhere in life, right?

Some people would argue that it's the driving force behind every action. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that, but it's obviously representing a powerful subconscious thing.

It's probably something... I should say it is something a lot of young people think about a lot. I mean, young or till anywhere like the menopause. [Ed Note -- "the" menopause?] It's a good thing to write about. There are a lot of moments everyday that I think are subtlely sexual that definitely recall that part of your brain, so I think it's a good thing to write about in songs.

Have your thoughts about romantic love changed?

Yeah, I think I'm more serious about it now. Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but in "Start of Something," right? A lot of people say "Oh, I love that song! I've read the lyrics!" and the like. I mean, it's kind of about somebody real, but it's more like fun with words y'know? Fun with melody meant to be the kind of song you'd dance around your living room to.

Other songs are based much more on events having to do with a love of my life that resonated much more deeply. Much more affecting than "Start of Something," which to me was just for fun.

Because it's an upbeat song?

Well, it's an upbeat song, but it's also just fun to sing along to. It was fun writing the words to it. Because it was written in this weird hearing-whatever way. There are other songs that are much more personal.

Do you think music should affect the head, the heart or the body?

(whispers) All three.

Why does love die?

Well, Miguel, I wish I knew why love dies. There [must] be examples of actual, lasting love. I'm not sure at what point it transforms from love into ... necessity. Just like, "Oh, maybe if we stick it out long enough? It would be stupid to just give it up." I don't know. Maybe if it's based on superficial elements, then that's why it dies. Maybe not even obviously superficial [things], but [those] that end up [being] superficial.

Austinist asks Ramesh about his experience with the music scene in Glasgow

What I like about people trying to put together great events [there] is that it's based on wanting to make something happen. It's not, "Oh, in this city we have an indie music scene, and there are rock bands and they put out records and they are all friends with each other," and it's like, "So what?!" You know? It's why I loved Optimo (Espacio) so much or Our Disco... these kind of weird, ... leftfield clubs that happen all over Britain. Cause it's based on... great music but also [meant] as a vehicle to send a political message... and bring weird forms of art and music from all over the place together.

And that doesn't happen in the States?

It doesn't happen as much. It's starting a little more now, with things like SXSW. We did this party at Factory People with We Are Wolves, this kind of weird Canadian band -- they included this guy, Rory Phillips, who does Trash and Our Disco in London. Now you can have [things like] that put together, that aren't necessarily cohesive. People don't think it's weird and I like that.

It doesn't happen as much in the States. Most people I know can't stand the sound of an electronic dance record because they go, "Oh, here's this BOOM! OONCE! BOOM! OONCE!" I think European listeners, and maybe in other continents as well, are by-and-large much more diverse in what they will buy.

This is your lot in life right Ramesh? You are going to do music no matter what?

Yeah...that's true, actually. Maybe one day I'll finish my degree? I don't know. We'll see.

Do you have any other aspirations? Like writing a book, perhaps?

No not really. I just want to be involved in things... I just want to be a part of events, and I want to sustain our record label (Cult Hero Records) and really do something with it. I want to be involved in the good parts of the music business that keep making things happen, even if we are not necessarily putting out records anymore.

Well, good for you.

But that's all really far into the future. Any putting out [of] records is pretty far in the future. Like six months or something.

* Header Photo by Mary Sledd, Others by Aubrey Edwards