by Holli Stephens
When you think of Nashville-made music what comes to mind? A chat with The Weeks’guitarist Sam Williams helped to enlighten my sometimes narrow mind to the growth of the southern rock scene. “It just seems like everyone in a band is doing something very cool and unique and it’s just this big community that works together.”
The crew has recently signed to The Kings of Leon’s own label, Serpents and Snakes. Beforehandm they had been with Esperanza Plantation, an independent label who was actually just one guy incredibly involved in the music scene. “That was a big inspiration for us to see someone champion local music like that and take pride in it.”
Williams laughs at how the band has never experienced label troubles. “It’s partially luck and partially surrounding yourself with a team that can talk you out of bad scenarios, so when a deal finally comes about, it’s like, this is the one for us.”
In 2011 The Weeks were a guitar heavy four piece and found their unlikely secret weapon in a guy on their management team by the name of Admiral Collier. It was 6am on a Sunday morning when Williams discovered Collier was an organist/pianist after he saw him getting ready to go play a church service. A week later he was the band’s new keyboardist.
“He is the most faithful player and he just really fills out the sound in a way we really needed it. It’s really cool to write with him and use that as a tool which we never really had before.”
The now five piece has been up to a lot in the past couple of years. They have a new EP out called Buttons and have steadily been touring. In the last 18 months Williams says they’ve spent six of those in England. The European fan base has really taken off for them. Williams says, “You can really attach yourself the market really quick. The British really latch on to southern music a lot. The US does too but England has some sort of infatuation with the south.”
When it comes to planning a tour The Weeks are avid believers in playing whatever they feel like playing. Williams sounded a little surprised when I asked him about their set list before laughing and saying that they’ll literally be on stage and someone will go “I feel like playing this song right now.” And they’ll play off of that.
“My biggest fear is to have someone go to multiple shows and be like, ‘you open, closed and the middle was the same as another show’.” Especially when the guys go to the Northeast where the cities are closer together and often fans will follow the tour and go to multiple shows.
The Weeks hit 16 different festivals this summer including Williams’s personal favorite, Bonnaroo. “I’m most used to it, it’s like your childhood festival.” He has been going since 2008 and believes festivals to be a big part of his life.
“When you’re sharing a festival lineup, even if you’re the smallest name on the bill, your name is on the same poster as some of these unbelievable headliners,” he says. “It’s something- you really feel you are participating in something a lot bigger.”
You can catch The Weeks at Milkboy on September 19!
