MEET SALLIE FORD & THE SOUND OUTSIDE

The best thing about the Future Sounds community is that everyone involved has the same lust for finding new acts and sharing. This time we found out about Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside from FS artist, Fitz & The Tantrums, who saw Sallie open up for The Avett Brothers in Los Angeles. Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside play at tonight's RUMBLE: PORTLAND @ Holocene.

FS: How was it touring with the incredible Avett Brothers?

SF: It was great touring with the Avett Brothers! they are allot of fun and so are the folks that work for them. They have really supportive fans who made an awesome audience.

FS: You're originally from Asheville, North Carolina, what brought you to Portland and how did you meet your band? Can you also introduce your bandmates and what they play?

SF: I moved to Portland on a whim. I heard allot of great things and thought it would be a great place to live, and it is. When I first moved to Portland, I lived in a house with 5 other girls and one of those girls introduced me to a bunch of people from Alaska. I become friends with allot of the Alaskans and one of them eventually introduced me to Ford Tennis and Tyler Tornfelt, who were from Anchorage, Alaska and play in a band called "Syran".
I then met Jeff Munger a year later, while he was playing music on the street. Jeff was born in Portand.
Ford Tennis plays drums. Tyler Tornfelt plays upright bass and Jeff Munger plays lead guitar. I (Sallie Ford) play rhythm guitar and sing as well as write the songs.

FS: You obviously have a "throwback sound", and I'm sure everyone compares you with everyone from Patsy Cline to Billy Holiday. Who are the ladies and fellas that you draw your inspiration from?

SF: Those two names are big influences, as well as Etta James, Aretha Franklin and The Squirrel Nut Zippers (who are from North Carolina as well)


FS: What I like about the few songs I've heard from you is that although you are obviously well versed in the past, you make it fresh and contemporary by dropping in lyrics and references that are clearly our era, like shouts out to Sunny Day Real Estate and Jets To Brazil. Who are your contemporary favorites? Who would you like to tour with next?

SF: Regina Spektor and Tom Waits are probably my top favorite contemporary musician heroes. I also like M. Ward, Langhorne Slim, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down and Nurses.
We also have plans to tour with our Irish buddies, "The Lost Brothers".

FS: The "Not An Animal" EP has been your bread and butter for your most recent bunch of live performances, what's next for Sallie Ford and The Sound Outside? Are there new songs in the studio being polished?

SF: We have many more songs that are unrecorded, but we have plans to record a full length in the near future.

FS: At Future Sounds we're always looking for the next Sallie Ford, are there any up and coming bands that you want to recommend or shouts out to some friend's bands?

SF: Some of our local favorites are:
Hats, The Woolwines, Y la bamba, Hello Electric, Syran, Grey Anne, Ah Holly Family and The Ocean Floor.

FS: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions and for playing The Rumble: Portland this week.