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H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
The Dimes may not have swept the Houston Press Music Awards last week, but they did leave with the most trophies – three, to be exact (Best New Act, Best Indie Rock, and Song of the Year). While puppies (in age, that is) compared to many on the Houston music scene, they’re making a big splash right out-of-the-box. We caught up with Carlos Sanchez, guitarist and lead vocalist for The Dimes, as he and the band gear up for their show this Friday night at The Proletariat:
Congrats on winning 3 awards at the Houston Press Music Awards. Were you surprised?
Thank you very much. We were very surprised. We felt semi-confident about winning Best New Act, but I really thought that The Black Math Experiment was going to get Song of the Year with “You Cannot Kill David Arquette.”
You came on stage with your forehead bleeding – what happened?
I was backstage and was looking for the guy that ran the show, and was walking towards the backstage door. As I was about to head out, another guy came in and the door slammed my head. I didn’t think much of it at first, then blood started dripping on me and I was like “Oh my God!” It’s a lot better now.
Have you guys even graduated high school yet?
Three of us have -- my brother will graduate this year. The rest of us are sophomores in college.
How long has the band been together?
Since 2004.
How did it all start?
My brother Jose [bass guitar] and Iram, the drummer, started playing covers in the bedroom. After that, Iram, Cley, and I were in another band with Chris Patton. That band was going into an Interpol-type direction. We started getting into the Pixies at about that time, which changed our musical direction.
Speaking of The Pixies, you count them, David Bowie, Sonic Youth, and Velvet Underground as some of your influences. How did that come about, since you weren’t even born during the height of those bands’ popularity?
I really don’t know how we came to hear them. We just started listening to Sonic Youth, which led us to Bowie, then to Velvet Underground. And that has only been in the past two years. Hunky Dory was our favorite Bowie album.
We just watched your new video for “Delilah.” Was that shot at a Houston convenience store? Where?
Yeah. It was somewhere in Katy or Rosenberg, I can’t remember exactly where.
We love the dancing chip bags.
Haha! That was Marc Armes’s idea [the video’s director]. He’s worked with some big named rappers, too. He’s about to do a video for [another local band] Bring Back the Guns.
Have you played outside of Houston any? Where?
We’ve played in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas. So far, we’ve mainly played in Texas. This summer, we were going to tour further, but some of us had to go to summer school.
Who had to go to summer school?
Hmmm … no comment
So now that you’re getting more famous locally, what’s next for The Dimes?
We’re going to continue to write some new songs. We like the songs on the E.P., but we want also want to change them the style on some of them – you know, give them an update. We’re also working on expanding our name out of Texas. We’re hoping we can do this for a living, but right now we’ve gotta focus on school.
So a full-length album is on the horizon?
It’s a possibility. That’s why were making some new songs. We have a few tracks recorded, but they still need some work.
If you could be any Houston landmark, what would it be?
The statue of Sam Houston off I-45 north [yes, it’s not quite Houston]. We get a kick out of that every time we pass by it.
The Dimes (with The Show is the Rainblow, Bring Back the Guns, and the Always Already)
Friday, Aug. 10th, 7 p.m.
The Proletariat
903 Richmond
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I love Houstonist interviews.
I love The Dimes. Where are they playing in the line up on Friday? I hope it's late.