California pop group The Hanks have a handful of shows lined up during SXSW. We stopped by their afternoon gig at The Troubadour earlier today, and thoroughly enjoyed their emotional blend of shoegaze rock. The gang (singer Josh, bassist Bryan, keyboardist Phil and drummer Shane) was cool enough to stop by the LW pad for a quick interview. Conversation of public indecency and Craigslist ensued. Check it out below, and then pick up their new album Distance on their myspace page.

LWMB: What's the craziest thing you've seen in Austin so far?
Bryan: Shane. Last night.
Shane: I got naked on 6th St last night. It was for MTV Canada or something. They'll put anything on there.

LWMB: Sounds nasty.
Josh: That's nothing. We were playing a few weeks ago, and mid-set, an overhead pipe broke. Water started cascading down. It was like a feces waterfall. That was nasty.

LWMB: That's awful. Any other tour mishaps?
Bryan: We stopped in San Antonio, and some huge drunk guy picked up Shane while he was playing. Threw him right into the frontline. Phil starts wrestling the guy off the stage. Finally, the sound guy comes out behind the decks and throws a beer bottle at the dude.

LWMB: Dangerous. So, Paul Simon seems to be a big influence in your music. Where does it come into your sound?
Josh: Harmony and rhythm. Simon's a great song writer, and tells great stories with his songs. Phil saw the Rhythm of the Saints tour a while back. We're all big fans of his sound, and covered "Song for the Asking" once.
Bryan: We all listen to him, and it comes through in our music. It's not intentional.

LWMB: What would you do if you weren't playing with The Hanks?
Bryan: Move off the grid, live in the forest. I don't want a job.
Josh: I'd probably try writing or acting -- something equally creative/difficult to succeed in.
Shane: Pro-surfer. I don't surf that much, but I bet that'd be cool.
Phil: I'd be teaching music -- or be one of those leathery river-rafting guides.

LWMB: When did you get together?
Shane: Today? We all woke up at like noon.
Josh: No, we all met at different times. Shane worked at a music store. Bryan and I went to boarding school together in Oregon. Phil was going to UCLA -- he answered a Craigslist ad we put up while he was looking at casual encounters, and we had a band.
Bryan: Funny thing, we were actually gonna throw a Craigslist party last week in Los Angeles. Just invite people from Craigslist. Kind of creepy, but we didn't do it.
Phil: Bryan's weird online. You should see the stuff he posts on little girl's myspace pages.

LWMB: Whats the difference than getting a crowd in LA and outside?
Phil: You have to work harder to create a buzz in LA. But at the same time, there are a lot more people out there that'll scout you out, and help you release a record.

LWMB: Any favorite local bands in LA?
Bryan: Flashing Red Lights. This is one of those bands that have phenomenal songwriting, yet barren crowds. There are a lot of other bands we see that have a huge following, yet shitty music -- we're not gonna name any names, though.