The Head and the Heart's drummer Tyler Williams discusses the 'insane' past year and the band's group dynamic

Every year, FYF Fest attracts thousands of music fans, including UCLA students, with its lineup of trendy, up-and-coming bands such as The Rapture, Panda Bear and Matt and Kim. Seattle-based band The Head and the Heart will be performing as part of FYF Fest on Saturday. The Head and the Heart drummer Tyler Williams spoke with Daily Bruin’s Madeleine Flynn about the festival, the band’s successful year and the group’s democratic songwriting process.

Daily Bruin: What should people expect from The Head and the Heart at FYF Fest?

Tyler Williams: It’s way more energetic than the record. When we made the record, we’d only been a band for a month. None of the songs were really road tested. “¦ Now that we’ve been out for almost a year, we’ve gotten more used to the fact that “¦ if the audience is going nuts, you have to go doubly hard.

DB: In the past year, you went from self-releasing your album to signing with Sub Pop Records. How has the year been for you?

TW: It’s insane to think about. In November, we’re going back to Europe, and it’ll be our fourth time this year that we’re in Europe. I would have never imagined that to happen.

DB: Why did the band choose to sign with Sub Pop?

TW: We were talking to a lot of major labels at the time and a couple of indie labels, and we weren’t really feeling anything. … We really enjoyed (Sub Pop’s) perspective and how they would treat their bands. … I think we were all hoping for them to come on all along, and then they finally did, toward the end of our label signing process.

DB: What was Sub Pop’s perspective?

TW: It’s not really (Sub Pop’s) thing to over-saturate the market with a certain band. … We wanted a slow burn, which is what’s happening. … It’s not like you’re being hammered over the head.

DB: In a band with three lead singers, what’s the songwriting process like?

TW: Whoever brings a part for a song usually sings that part. … (The songwriters) usually bring half a song or just the chorus, and then we’ll mash things together as a full band. … It’s a very democratic process.

DB: What is the group dynamic of the band like?

TW: Josiah (Johnson)’s the mediator. “¦ He’s … very levelheaded and he was home schooled, so he’s got (an) outside social perspective on things. Then Jon (Russell), he’s kind of moody, but you have to grow to love him. … The rhythm section is one unit, and then the three singers are another unit. … We had a practice where the three lead singers didn’t show up for some reason ““ they were eating hamburgers and drinking milk shakes or something ““ but we ended up practicing, just the rhythm section, and it was so tight.

DB: What mindset was the band in when the album was written?

TW: A lot of it was written right after “¦ all of us basically ““ Chris and Charity are the only ones who are from Seattle ““ moved away from friends and family. It was pretty much everybody’s first time being that far away from (his or her) original home. … It was a lot about exploring a new place, but still having that feeling of losing something.

DB: Is the band working on any new material?

TW: Yeah, we’ll probably play some at FYF Fest. We have about three songs that are getting worked on right now that we’re trying out live, and then countless sketches of other songs. … It’ll be awhile before anything comes out, but it’s a good feeling to start the process again.

Email Flynn at [email protected].