Whether on purpose or not, “giant” is the perfect word to describe the personalities, the music, and the energy that five-piece alt-rock band Giant Rooks brings to the table. In support of their sophomore album, How Have You Been?, the lads embarked on a headline tour. Hitting 19 cities (just in the US), they are no stranger to the states. Having toured previously with household names like Milky Chance in 2021 and then in support of Louis Tomlinson last summer, the Giant Rooks’ How Have You Been? Tour was inevitable.
Melodic Magazine got the chance to chat with Fred and Finn at their show in Brooklyn at Warsaw. There was talk of how the band came to be, musical inspirations, and cheese steaks. Read Melodic’s interview with Giant Rooks and see photos from their show at Warsaw below.
Melodic: Can you tell me about how you all met?
Fred: Oh yeah, well it’s a long story but we try to keep it short. So, Finn and I, we’re cousins actually. So we have known each other for…since forever. We started playing music together, I don’t know…fifteen years ago probably. No, maybe 20 years ago now and we had a punk band at that time. It was the first music that we played together and that we wrote together. I mean, the rest is history. I think we were a band for probably five years or so. Punk rock band, different formations. Then we just quit for some reason.
Finn S: I did a lot of jazz projects, a lot of blues projects and that kind of stuff and after two or three years we got back together and thought “Oh, this would be pretty nice to start again.” And so we started making music again together when we were probably 15 or 16. Through that process I would say, in that period of time, we found the other guys through lucky coincidences as well. Jonathan joined first I guess, and he went to the same school with Finn T, our drummer. We basically found Luke on the internet.
Fred: We grew up in a very small town called Hamm. It’s located in the western part of Germany next to Dortmund and Winston if you know that. It’s a very small place where you basically know everyone.
Finn S: Yeah, so we were on the search for musicians who shared the same enthusiasm and same passion for music and so we found, after two years of searching, this formation that still exists.
Melodic: That’s awesome, nearly ten years later! You said you did more punk right?
Finn S: Yes, but we were about this big. [holds up fingers to show tiny amount]
Melodic: What were your top punk rock inspirations that influence your sound now?
Fred: The first concert we went to together was Biffy Clyro. We love Biffy Clyro. We love Two Gallants. Just drums and very distorted guitar.
Melodic: You were able to go and watch these bands go on tour. How does it feel now to be on tour for this album?
Finn S: Crazy. It’s just…as Fred just mentioned we are from this very small town in the western part of Germany and to think about it, the five of us are now playing sold out shows in the states. It’s to wrap your head around it. People are lining up right now outside of the venue.
Fred: It’s just crazy. We just played a big show yesterday in Boston at Metlife. It’s a great venue. As a European, we’d say it’s very American. But we loved it!
Melodic: What has been your favorite part of New York? Have you gotten the chance to grab a slice yet?
Fred: A slice of pizza? Is New York known for its pizza?
Melodic: Oh yeah. Specifically the 99 cent slices that kind of look a little dirty. Those are the best ones.
Fred: I haven’t tried pizza yet to be honest. I had some really great Indian food which was amazing.
Finn S: I went to a fruit market. No pizza yet.
Melodic: You’re headed to Philly right?
Finn S. and Fred: Yes!
Melodic: They’re going to ask you about the cheesesteak. If you can’t get a New York slice, get a cheesesteak in Philly!
Fred: We will do so! Thank you so much.
You can listen to Giant Rooks’ sophomore album, How Have You Been? here.
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