Local Band Spook Houses Heads West

“I know that a home is a good place to start,” says indie band Spook Houses in their title track Home. For them, home is Ridgewood, and it’s a pretty good place to be.

“There’s a lot of music that’s really like, ‘I gotta get out of this place,’” said singer and guitarist Colin Alexander. “But I think that sounds really short sighted.”

Spook Houses is comprised of Dave Benton, Alkis Meimaris, Colin Alexander, and Andrew Wade, who all grew up Ridgewood and come back here every summer to play music. Home is not just where their friends and family are, but it’s also the place they’ve developed their signature sound.

“There’s a weird sound this area has, not a lot of other places have it going on,” says Benton. The band cites local music as the majority of their influences, including Titus Andronicus (hailing from Glen Rock), and Andrew Cedarmark (a Ridgewood native).

“We’re kind of younger generation Ridgewood, but there’s been a lot of music coming out of Ridgewood and Glen Rock for a couple years now.” Indeed, quite a few local bands have achieved Pitchfork-status fame, notably Ra Ra Riot, the Vivian Girls, and Real Estate.

Spook Houses came together during the spring of last year. “Colin sent me a demo of Home and we were like ‘Ok, let’s do it,” said Benton. They began writing songs individually. Benton and Meimaris both attend SUNY Purchase, but at the time Wade and Alexander were still in Ridgewood. They were unable to begin practicing until the summer.

The band agreed to keep their music home-recording style – part of their signature. Benton and Alexander pen most of the lyrics. “Writing songs is the most anxious times,” said Alexander. The majority of their subject matter centers around, obviously, the idea of home.

“Comfort is a weird concept. There are two parts to your brain, one that wants it, and one that wants to get away from it because of pressure from your parents and society,” said Meimaris.

This summer, Spook Houses will hit the road with their friends Bad Sound, on tour. “We’re going to Michigan and back in ten days!” cheers Benton. Why Michigan? “Someone commented on last.fm that we should go to Michigan, and it seemed like reason enough,” said Meimaris. The guys have a station wagon and their venues booked, but no place to sleep.

“Hopefully we will sleep inside a house,” said Benton. “I think we’re just going to ask people at the end of sets.”

“Give us your floors,” Alexander mock-announced.

“I have a two-person tent,” Meimaris informed his bandmates.

“That’s perfect,” said Alexander.

“Because there are three of us?” said Meimaris. The three made eye contact, and doubled over in laughter.

The group has no big plans for the future past the tour. “We’ll do it until it’s not fun anymore,” says Benton. 

To listen or purchase Spook Houses' latest EP, see their website. For tour dates, see their blog.