Originally Published on BLEND Magazine
WE ALL KNOW THEIR NAME, WE ALL DEFINITELY KNOW THEIR HIT SONGS, BUT WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE PERFORMING AT SXSW THIS YEAR! WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EARTH, WIND AND FIRE PEOPLE!! VERDINE WHITE, THE LONGTIME BASSIST FOR THE BAND, TOOK SOME TIME OUT OF HIS DAY TO SIT DOWN AND GIVE BLEND AN INTERVIEW ABOUT A FEW OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS.
By Bailey Whelton
Since starting the band in 1969, Earth, Wind and Fire has traveled around the globe attending festivals, performing at concerts, winning 9 Grammy’s and hyping up any and every party with their hit songs. Now they are going to be performing at SXSW this year, White said they had attended SXSW three years ago, but what he’s most excited about this year is “shopping for some new boots.”
Have you ever attended SXSW before? When was the last time you guys were here?
White: “Absolutely, it was about 3 years ago”.
What is different about SXSW compared to other festivals you’ve been to?
White: “It’s just a lot of fun, a lot of fun, a lot of fun ya know?”
What are you looking forward to the most when you’re in Austin?
White: “The excitement, the people, the food, it’s just really great”.
Do you plan to do anything else in Austin?
White: “Shopping, I need to get some new boots!”
I know you guys are going to be in Las Vegas for two weeks after SXSW, what are you excited about?
White: “Yes we’re doing a residency in Vegas, love the people. This will be our second time performing there so I’m excited about this one”.
There was a lot of attention around the song “September” last year because it turned 40. What was your reaction to all of the hype around your song?
White: “Well the cool thing is the stock market goes up when the song gets popular, so that’s a good sign”.
Who is your favorite current artist right now and why?
White: “I really love Anderson .Paak right now".
What do you hope that people get out of your music in the future?
White: “Just Happiness”.
How has the music industry changed since you guys first started Earth, Wind and Fire?
White: “The music industry has changed so much, but so has the whole world, everything has changed. But it’s a good thing. The biggest thing that has changed is we all know about music now, we are all connected by music. We are all just so much more connected”.
After they make their way through Austin, the band is going to be taking up a 2-week residency in Vegas, performing at Pechanga Resort & Casino, giving their fans there a taste of their music. White said he’s looking forward to performing ‘Shining Star’, ‘Fantasy’, ‘September’ and ‘After the Love Is Gone,’ since those are his favorite songs to perform.
Hopefully they will be performing some of those hits (I’m talking about you ‘September’) at their SXSW performance tomorrow. That song is such an icon, especially in the month of September that even, “the stock market goes up,” said White. The song even turned 40-years-old last year, sparking a lot of attention and media around it.
Before ending the interview Verdine White wanted to give some advice to musicians who might be at SXSW:
Make it your life. Make it your mission. Serve people. Make people happy.
Check out Earth, Wind and Fire tomorrow evening, March 12th, at ACL Live. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., but the doesn’t start till 8:00 p.m. Get your tickets here.
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