Sharks in the Deep End went to Austin with their nod to early '80s alt-rock and it worked. The five-piece released a gem of a debut in April; Killin’ Machine harkens back to Thatcher’s London with its blend of Juno synthesizer and single-coil rhythm guitar. The album itself comes from a different place altogether—writing it back east in Connecticut, where frontman Tucker Jameson grew up, then on to DeGraw Sound in Brooklyn for recording.

The guys like to cite David Bowie and The Smiths when they talk about influences. Listening to the group made me nostalgic for Elvis Costello. The resemblance is more in visual aesthetic and attitude than sound, but still a good play for getting a rock writer’s attention. (We all default to Costello, in case you didn’t know.)

Sharing the video for “Make It With Me” produced by Flaming Lips art director George Salisbury, Sharks’ Jameson talks about coming to Austin and finding the band, the dice rolls and dumb luck of playing music for a living, and dangers of mixing of whiskey and go-karting. He also discloses that Myspace helped take the virginity of one of his bandmates, and few other dirty secrets along the way.

Hometown: I grew up in Connecticut; Chris Konte in Anaheim, CA; Clay Lillard in San Antonio, TX; Matt Shearon in Houston, TX. Sam Thompson and Henry Schuler both grew up in Austin.

Homebase: For one reason or another we were all bit by the music bug and found our way to the mecca that is Austin, TX.

How did you all meet?

Konte and I met about three or four years ago right as he had moved to Austin. I was looking for a keyboardist to hit the road and tour just a few weeks later but wasn’t having much luck. As a last ditch effort I texted a friend of mine who worked at a local music shop thinking he probably knew some talented local musicians, turned out he knew just the guy!

However, Konte was literally moving to Austin that day, so he wasn’t able to get to his keyboard, which was still packed away. He ended up learning all the keys parts on an acoustic guitar, then he came to the first rehearsal, sat down behind the piano and played them all perfectly. We’ve been playing in bands together ever since!

Clay and I had actually known of each other from our college days up in Boston but hadn’t actually met until we were both down in Austin and crossed paths via a series of concerts he took part in organizing called $2 Shows.

Matt came on board through a Craigslist post of all things—missed connections. Kidding. Henry, Chris and I had played music together in a band now long gone.

And finally there’s Sam! He had played in the Austin music scene for a while and was friendly with Chris’ nephew. So, when it came time to put the perfect band together, Chris and I reached out to the these guys and the rest is history.

Who are your musical influences?

David Bowie is a big influence on us. From his soundscapes to production techniques, we borrowed a lot from him. A lot of British rockers have left their mark on us such as The Beatles, The Stones, The Clash, The Smiths, New Order, Blur and the list goes on. Stateside, we’re influenced greatly by soul greats like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. Ultimately there are just too many to list here, but those are some of the biggies.

How do you describe your music to someone who's never heard you before?

An indie rock mixture of new wave, punk and soul all wrapped up in a modern bow. If Willy Wonka distilled the essence of Bowie, The Smiths, and Sam Cooke, and made an everlasting Gobstopper that he sprinkled with some 21st century powdered sugar, that would be our music.

Why are you called Sharks in the Deep End?

A long time ago, in a pool far, far away… I learned how to swim! As a kid I was damned sure there were sharks in that pool, but I eventually overcame my fears. As an adult the sharks become a metaphor for the fears we keep hidden just below the surface. By taking this as our moniker, we embrace our fears and face them head on. 

How did you end up working with Flaming Lips' art director George Salisbury?

George had worked with a bunch of bands that we are fans of and when it came time to shoot our video, we reached out to him to see if he’d be interested in working with us. Turned out he was a fan of the music so we were able to brainstorm ideas and pull something together.

Does living in Austin influence your music?

Absolutely! Austin has a storied history of music, especially in blues, but it has also turned out bands like Spoon who have definitely helped carve out a path in this modern era for bands in our genre.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

A talented producer and engineer named Dave Fridmann. Known for his bombastic mixes, he has been the man behind some of our favorite albums of the last couple decades. He’s produced great artists like MGMT, Tame Impala, Spoon, The Flaming Lips, Franz Ferdinand, Ok Go, The Vaccines and many, many more. The guy is a beast and we’d be honored to work with him.

What do you do for fun?

On the road we’re always looking for ways to let off a little steam. Often we end up going mini-golfing, go-carting or taking some swings in the batting cages. However, hitting the town, exploring the sites, cuisine and hanging with the locals in the different cities we visit, is high on our good times list. Personally I always like going to the movies. Letting yourself get lost in another world for a couple hours is a great way to decompress.

What's the craziest fan story so far?

We had one fan tattoo his entire face with our band logo; they were temporary but those things still last for four days or so!

If you were a hashtag, what would you be?

#whiskey

Tell us an awesome Myspace story that you've experienced as musicians.

One of our bandmates lost their virginity to a girl they met on Myspace back in his high school days.